Classified Retirement
by silversrider
Summary: Skipper is unable to perform in the team. He leaves the unit, retiring. But Skipper wasn't that old, isn't there more than meets the eye? Can the team save him and will they finally know the story of Skippers past? No pairings, mostly Skippers and Kowalski's point of view. Rated T for character death.
1. Chapter 1: It's starting

_Hello everyone here!_

_This is just my first story, ever!  
_

_I am writing this because I think it's a good way of training my english.  
_

_It can get a bit heavy or sad. May contain some characterdead and I wrote most of it in Skippers or Kowalski's point of view. The story already is a bit different than it was at my first thought. I have rewrote this chapter four times, so I hope you all like it. Please review, you don't have to go soft on me. I can handle it, and hopefully learn from it. Thank you!_

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**Chapter one: It's starting**

Just after sunset three penguins were doing karate exercises. The youngest one just accomplished a hard high-levelled move and hit a flatheaded penguin , which landed on his back. "Good job, Private!" Skipper yelled loudly, petting Private on his shoulder and the youngest one smiled proudly back at him. " You trained me really well, Skipper. I can get anyone down now, all thanks to you." Skipper gave him a warm smile and waddled over to Rico, his weapon expert, who was doing his push ups. "Lovely work there soldier!" Yelled he.

He went down to their underground HQ to find his 'smart guy' Kowalski, who didn't show up at their training. "Kowalski, what do you think you are doing?" Asked Skipper to his loyal but nerdy soldier. "Just making a new invention, Skipper. You know, it is all about the science!" Kowalski said in a happy voice, but Skipper noticed that he was getting angry "It is NOT all about the inventions or the science Kowalski! It's about survival and IF you want to survive you might want to start training!" He tried to slap Kowalski, but suddenly his flipper felt kind of numb and he missed. What the hell? thought Skipper, but he quickly reacted at Kowalski. "You'd better be topside in one minute, or else!" After their training, the four penguins headed back to their HQ.

Skipper was still a bit angry at Kowalski but he knew that Skippers mood would increase, because tonight was Shirtless Ninja Night. Kowalski waddled to the storage room to pick up the Peanutbutter Winkies, but there were none! This wasn't good, Skipper would be so angry at him, because it had been his turn to do the shopping. He had just forgot about the Winkies. He was too preoccupied with his inventions. He waddled to their leader. "Skipper I'm so - " He wasn't able to finish his sentence, because Skipper was already yelling at him. "I told you to get those Winkies, but you just couldn't move your lazy butt to the store!" He slapped the scientist in his face. "I will go to get them now Skipper." Muttered Kowalski. But Skipper didn't listen to him. "Why should you go? Your head is obviously not with your body at the time. I will go. Solo." Kowalski was just baffled, Skipper was never this angry before. "But Skipper what about the credo?" Asked Kowalski softly. Skippers eyes widened with anger and Kowalski backed away. "No one will join me at this mission soldier! And that's final!" Skipper leaved the HQ with Kowalski in a paralyzed state.

Private and Rico had been looking with disbelief to the fight between Skipper and Kowalski. It wasn't like Skipper to make such a big fuss over candy. Private petted Kowalski comfortingly on his back. "It will be okay Kowalski, I am sure that Skipper is just having a bad day." But Kowalski wasn't that sure.

He didn't have to be so harsh on Kowalski thought Skipper. But a soldier which wasn't paying attention to anything around him is a danger to the whole team. On the other hand, this was a perfect opportunity to sneak away and go this appointment. He would go to the shop after that.

"Skipper, what took you so long?" Asked Private when Skipper finally entered the HQ. The TV show had already started and the team was getting a little worried about their leader. Kowalski looked at Skipper and was a bit shocked. He was pale and his eyes were blank. He seemed defeated and depressed. "Where are the winkies?" Asked Private, noticing that Skipper was empty-flippered. Skipper looked at him with hollow eyes and then turned his back to them. "I'm going to sleep. Good night." Private looked at Kowalski, who seemed to be in deep thoughts.

That morning started on the usual way, by Skipper waking up the team at preciously 0600 hours. Skipper looked like he hadn't slept at all and had cried all night. But Skipper never showed any weaknesses, so that couldn't be possible. "Skipper are you alright?" Asked Kowalski to the coffee sipping leader. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" The leader was already on the edge of losing his nerves, so to be sure Skipper wouldn't get annoyed by him, Kowalski asked how late the training would start. "About 0800 hours. I will do my own training first. And Kowalski, I want to see you topside this time!" Skipper shot a warningly look at him.

When the team climbed out of their underground HQ they saw Skipper still doing his laps. Skipper was always finished with his own training in half an hour, but this time seemed different. "Is he doing more laps than usual?" Private asked to Kowalski who was trying to calculate the leaders swimming speed. "I don't think so, Private. He is 50% slower than usual. And we are a little late, so I think he is not in the shape he used to be in." Private looked at him with wide eyes. "But Skipper is always in shape! You must have calculated something wrong Kowalski!" Finally Skipper was done with his laps and he came heavily breathing out of the water. Kowalski looked concerned at his leader. He seemed less muscular and his breathing was kind of harsh. Maybe he was getting a cold, or the flu, or something like that. But even Private could swim faster than Skipper had done. Something wasn't right with Skipper.

"Shall we do our laps now, Skipper?" Asked the eagerly young penguin, but Skipper didn't respond to him. Kowalski noticed he looked a bit flushed. "Skipper?"

His vision was a bit blurred, but he was more worried about the numb filling in his feet and flippers. He started to tremble and walked slowly to the HQ, he would just have to lie down and everything would be okay again. Once inside his bunk he muttered to himself: "Is it starting this soon?"

"What is starting this soon Skipper?" Kowalski asked worriedly, but he didn't get a response. It looked like Skipper didn't even noticed him, or the other team members. "Kipper ok?" Grunted Rico, but even that didn't had any effect on the penguin. Suddenly Skipper seemed to wake up from his trance. "Didn't I mention that we had a training topside? What are you waiting for! Start swimming!" The team hastily made its return to the their swimming pool, except Kowalski. "I KNOW you aren't alright Skipper, why don't you tell me what's wrong? We can help you."

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_That was the first chapter, how did you like it?_

_Second one will follow soon!  
_


	2. Chapter 2: The letter

_Hello!_

_Here the second chapter. It's a bit short, I have to get used to write such a story, but I kinda like it!_

_The next chapter is almost done too._

_I almost forgot: Skipper and Kowalski can write and read in this story.  
_

_Private and Rico can't.  
_

_Have fun!_

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**Chapter 2: The letter**

The team hastily made its return to the their swimming pool, except for Kowalski. "I KNOW you aren't alright Skipper, why don't you tell me what's wrong? We can help you."

Skipper startled and looked angrily at Kowalski. "Are you disobeying me AGAIN?!" He yelled at the genius penguin. "Does the team mean nothing to you?" He felt the anger rising in his chest, but then Kowalski spoke: "I know you aren't feeling well Skipper, maybe it's just because you have reached you're physical limits! Maybe you should think about retirement instead of blaming us for your failures!" Kowalski knew that he had gone this far this time and he knew he would pay for his words.

Nothing happened. Skipper didn't punch him in the face or yelled at him. Skipper just looked at him. His eyes looked liked they belonged to a dead man and he seemed depressed. "Call Private and Rico. Please." Said the leader with tears welling up in his eyes. He just couldn't believe that he was doing it now. He hoped that it would come much later. Never actually, but it had to be done anyway. He knew this time would come. He would either die in a mission, or he would just leave the team when he was too old to fight. But he wasn't old. He wasn't dead. The team just didn't obey him anymore. Although he wasn't old, Kowalski was right about his physical state. It wasn't on the level it used to be. He heard his whole team arrive and turned to them. "Kowalski just told me that he thought that I am unable to be you're superior. I want you to tell me if you think the same." Private and Rico were flabbergasted. They never expected anything like this to come out of Skippers mouth.

Rico was the first to say his meaning. "'Kipper stay." Private wasn't sure what to answer. Their leader wasn't battle-ready, that was obvious. "It is true that you've had more difficulty at the exercises..." He looked at Skipper. He seemed crushed.

Skipper had heard enough. His teammates, his brothers, his friends did think he was getting old. Too old. "So that's it then. Tomorrow at 0600 hours will I leave this unit." He turned away to take his trunk from the storage room. "But Skippah...!" Cried the young Private. "No buts Private. It's decided. I am leaving." With these words Skipper waddled out of the HQ. He had to make some calls and he would visit Marlene and Roger. They were his friends and he had to say goodbye to them. It was likely that he wouldn't see them ever again.

Marlene reacted as he expected. "You are leaving? That's too bad. I will miss you Skipper." The basic questions and she got the basic answers. Meaning that the most she got out of Skipper was "classified." It was quite nice by Roger. He had played him a song but was a bit shocked at the news. At 11 'o clock he returned to the HQ finding his friends talking and crying. (alright, only Private was crying.) "Why all these long faces?" Private answered immediately "We will miss you so much Skipper, you don't have to go!" Private sobbed in Skippers feathers. "I am sorry guys, but we've reached the point of no return." Skipper continued packing his trunk. His mug. A fake moustache. An old photograph. And of course, the letter.

Skipper couldn't sleep that night. He wasn't looking forward to the next morning. He red his letter over and over again. It was for the best that it had happened this fast. But he wasn't about to like it. Kowalski had made his decision much easier. He decided to go early and to leave the team without goodbyes. He hated the goodbyes, it made him look weak and he thought that he might burst to tears when the moment was there. But he couldn't go away leaving his team nothing so he decided to write a letter.

_Dear friends,_

_This whole happening made me very, very sad, but we have to say goodbye._

_Private, I'm sure you will be the best soldier this world has ever seen. Rico, just make sure you stay out of trouble. Don't use too much kabooms, alright? Kowalski, just go on with your inventions and I know you will do just great as the new commander._

_Don't worry about me,_

_Your friend, Skipper._

Skipper laid the note in his empty bunk and disappeared through the fishbowl exit.

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Hope you liked it, third chapter should be up soon.


	3. Chapter 3: Trying To Move On

_And here is chapter 3 already!_

_This one is a bit longer, I hope you like it!_

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**Chapter 3: Trying To Move On**

Skipper laid the note in his empty bunk and disappeared through the fishbowl exit.

Kowalski was the first one to wake that morning. There was a loud ringing noise sounding trough the HQ. He rushed towards the phone and placed it to his ear. "Hello?" He heard a loud commanding voice at the other side of the line. "Your commanding officer here. You are acquired as the new commander of the unit after Skipper retiring. All the paperwork is already done and he has left recordings to help you. Goodbye." The phone was dead already. Kowalski knew that the recordings the officer was talking about was Skippers log. It was a bit weird that he had to listen to his former leaders logs. It was like Skippers diary. But it would surely help him to lead the team.

"Get up Private! Rico! NOW!" Yelled Kowalski at his sleeping team members. He looked at Skippers bunk and saw the letter. He took it and read it multiple times. He couldn't believe it. After all he had said to Skipper, he had still confidence in him and his note wasn't carrying an undertone. He just couldn't believe it. Skipper was gone.

"He's gone. He's gone!" He wouldn't believe that Skipper actually went away and he was shocked that Skipper after their fight still had so much done for them. Tears welled up in his eyes. What would become of this, now his team? Rico waddled over to him and petted him on the back. Then Private noticed the letter in Kowalski's flippers. "Kowalski, what is that?" And Kowalski began to read the letter out loud. Private was a bit of shocked after the letter. It did sound like a suicidal note. Not a farewell. Skipper hadn't even finished his letter with I will see you all soon, or that kind of stuff. Rico on the other hand was happy with the letter. It was just as he could hear Skipper tell him to go easy on the kabooms. But Kowalski had noticed the same thing as Private. "Seems like he really isn't coming back." Private and Rico looked shocked. "Never? But he is our friend, he can't leave us like this!" Kowalski didn't answer Private. He went to the storage room and took one of Skippers logs. He took the last one. It would say what he had to do. He was sure!

Skippers log

"Skippers log. The team has agreed about my retirement. I'm kind of glad that they made the decision for me and it went so quick. I am about to leave, I have done everything official and made Kowalski the new leader. I am sure he would listen to all of this, but still I shall make a summary of what he should do. 1. Wake up time is precisely 0600 hours. Except when training is early, or if the soldiers have a day off.

2. Call the head quarters once a week to report on mission.

3. Rico has to go easy on the kabooms.

4. Private should be eyed all the time, otherwise he will spill his gut about classified information.

5. Kowalski should still make his inventions.

6. Don't go after me. I am sure you read my letter and you might have been able to figure out that you won't see me anymore. DON'T COME AFTER ME! I am enjoying a quiet pension now."

Kowalski heard Skipper sniffle after the last sentence, but that wasn't bothering. It was one of the very first things Skipper had said. 'I'm kind of glad they made this decision for me.' It was so un-Skipper like. He was the one making all the decisions. This was the first time that he was thinking about how Skipper would look like as a retired soldier. He just couldn't think about anything, it just seemed he presumed that Skipper would die with them. In a fight or something. Did Skipper even had any hobby's. Beside training? Kowalski didn't know. Now he come to think about it, he knew just a little of Skippers likes and don't likes and that was a kind of awkward. He was his friend. One of the best. And he didn't know anything about him.

"What shall we do now, Kowalski?" Kowalski sighed and let go of the thoughts. "We should clean the HQ. It was scheduled for today and it will take our minds of Skipper." Kowalski took the job of cleaning and ordering surveillance camera tapes, Private would clean the HQ and Rico would clean their weapon arsenal, since that was in his belly.

Kowalski wasn't really paying attention to the tapes he had to watch. It just showed them doing their routines until he saw that it was the night of his failed shopping trip. The leader was phoning, what was strange, because he hated it when he had to use the phone. Kowalski rewinded and turned the sound on. Kowalski knew that it wasn't the night for the weakly phone call to the headquarters. Skipper didn't liked phoning because he was aware that it was easy to tap the line or you couldn't see if you were talking to a spy. Skipper had a worried expression on his face.

"Hello, how are you?" He heard Skipper talking to someone else. "Thanks for asking, but no, I am not alright. That's why I am calling you. I want an appointment so soon as possible." It was the others time to talk. Skipper frowned. "You've got time for me tomorrow? I see you tomorrow. Problems with the team? No, but I want you to keep this al a secret."

Now Kowalski knew why Skipper insisted on going solo to the store. He hadn't planned to go for the winkies, he just had to go for his 'appointment'. He watched the tape further in the fastest speed. He saw Skipper coming home that night and played the tape in normal rate. After the gang went to sleep he saw Skipper get out of his bunk with a letter in his flipper. It seemed like he was crying. Kowalski couldn't read the letter, but the content made Skipper very sad. That was the last-minute of the tape.

Meanwhile Private was vacuum cleaning the HQ. He took everything from its place, and put it back after he checked for traces of espionage gear. It was something Skipper taught him. He was saddened by the idea of Skipper checking the whole unit, like he did every Saturday. He couldn't fight his tears anymore. He knew Kowalski would be a great leader, but no one could fill the place of Skipper. Skipper was special, very special to him. Almost like some sort of father figure. Then he moved on with the bunks. He started with the ones of himself, Rico and Kowalski. After that, he cleaned Skippers bunk. He couldn't leave it empty, so he put everything neatly back. After fluffing Skippers pillow, some kind of bottle fell to the floor. Private took it and went immediately to Kowalski.

Rico had cleaned his weapons arsenal three times and was getting a bit bored. He didn't want to talk with the others, surely they wanted to talk about Skipper. Rico normally didn't like to talk, but at this moment he wished he was completely unable to talk and completely deaf. He decided to go to Marlene's place.

He was almost done with reorganizing the videotapes when Private came in. Kowalski hadn't seen anything special at the tapes, except Skipper taking some kind of pills. He assumed that they were painkillers for his migraine. "Kowalski! Look what I've found in Skippers bunk!" Private showed him the bottle. Kowalski didn't exactly knew what kind of pills they were, but they were heavy painkillers. He didn't understand it anymore. Skipper took ibuprofen for his headaches, nothing heavy just 50 percent of 200 mg. But this was a high dosage for a bird. He tried to put the pieces together, but his mind seemed unable to solve this problem. He figured out that Skipper could be ill, but what kind of illness? Private looked at him in terror. He had forgotten about the youngest penguin being in the very same room with him! He didn't exactly knew what he had said, but reading from Privates expression it was a bit shocking. "Skipper is ill?" Private said in a soft whisper. "Private, please go fetch Skippers file for me." He asked to the trembling young soldier and Private went to get the file.

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_Next chapter is almost ready. it will be up in a day or so.  
_

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4: His Way

_Hello,_

_So here is chapter 4!_

_This is defiantly not my favorite._

_It's short, but I had just a little block here._

_Still I hope that you like all it!_

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**Chapter 4: His way**

Skipper had been sure that his old colleague could help him. It was a shock he couldn't. He returned to his lonely new HQ just outside New York. He felt quite depressed as he opened the front door. There lay an envelope on the ground. He took it and stepped inside. The little HQ was small, furnished with a penguin-sized bed. A small wooden table and a bookcase. He sat down at the table and began to read the letter, his face turning into a furious expression.

Hello peng-u-in!

I know you have left your team. Thank you!

Without you as their leader it 's going to be an easy job eliminating them.

I don't have to eliminate you anymore, because you will do it yourself. Yes Skipper, I know your secret. I can help you, but I won't. Unless if you are going to help me!

Skipper stopped reading. He would never help the enemy. Not even if it meant his own death. He grabbed a new bottle of pills and took one before shredding the letter to little pieces. It was unbelievable that his enemy already had tracked his new HQ down. He knew Blowhole wouldn't let him enjoy a nice and quiet retirement. He would pay him back for all the times that he was beaten by the penguin and he knew he would try to kill his former team members.

He missed his team, he wanted to see Private, Kowalski and Rico again, but he couldn't. Maybe they didn't miss him. He knew he wasn't the nicest person on the earth. But Blowhole was kind of right, he would die alone, with no one to care for him when… He couldn't even finish that sentence while he was thinking. Tears streamed down his face. He hated himself for crying. He hated himself for leaving. He hated himself for all the times he had argued with his soldiers. He hated himself because he was weak. He just didn't want to be anymore. The stinging sensation in his heart wouldn't go away.

He could end it now. He always carried a bottle with cyanide with him. He would just have to swallow it. Just a spoonful. It would be a quick death. He would end it this way. His way. The only way. He would choose his moment of death. No. He had chosen his moment of death. It was now. He was about to swallow the cyanide when he thought about his team. He had to make sure they were alright without him. What if they needed him and he was gone? He laid the bottle back on the table and waddled to the couch. He would lay down for a moment. Maybe he would die in his sleep. He closed his eyes.

He woke with a start. He had a nice dream, but he then his ability to move disappeared. He tried to catch his breathing again and tried to move his feet. They didn't respond. He knew he was lost. He tried to sit up. It was no use. He took a deep breath and waited until the somewhat numb feeling returned to his feet again. He sighed in relief. But it wasn't over. Not yet. He tried to grab his bottle of water, but it slipped through his flippers. He yelled a few of his angry words and lied back. Leaving the mess on the floor for what it was.

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_I have planned a real nice chapter after this one._

_Hope you enjoyed!_


	5. Chapter 5: Skippers File

_Here is chapter 5, about Skippers past and maybe some clues for what's going on._

_Thank you for the reviews! I don't know how to react on them tough, but I am sure I will find out soon._

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 5: Skipper's File**

Skippers file was the biggest one Kowalski had ever seen. He started reading by the very beginning: The birth of a little Skipper. Well, it seems like it was his birth, but apparently he was nameless, there was just one word 'classified.' Skippers parents were assassinated when he was 4. He got transported to the head quarters were he got an old officer as his new father. But only one year later this man was killed by the same gang which killed Skippers parents. Skipper got kidnapped and was rescued after a few months. A friend of Skippers parents adopted him. It seemed like his life was nice and normal with this man till the age of eight.

But it turned out the 'friend' was a spy for an evil corporation and the headquarters put this 'friend' in jail. He was the reason of the death of Skippers parents.

From that moment on, joined Skipper the trainings unit (during 4 years), despite the fact that he was 9 years too young. His results of the training course were stunning. He got awarded and was one of the very best soldiers of the year.

Kowalski didn't find any medical information to this point. But it explained the raving paranoia of his former leader. He now knew were "A friend is an enemy who just hasn't attacked yet." Was coming from. Kowalski continued reading.

Skipper got placed in a small team, with 2 other newly trained soldiers, Manfredi and Johnson. He was part of that unit for over ten years. Then there was a red stamp in the file: MISSION FAILED. Skipper was the only survivor of this mission, and he was blamed for the death of the other team members. The headquarters locked him in a hospital for mentally wounded, awaiting for his trail. He was judged not guilty, but he was fired, because the psychologists listed him as 'unable for duty'. He got rejected. The next thing that was in the file was shocking to read, even for Kowalski. They rescued Skipper from death. Not a heroic death or a liquidation, he had tried to commit suicide. He was in a hospital for weeks.

After that note, there was a gap for over 2 years. Then Skipper joined some reboot classes and got admitted to a new team. He got promotion after promotion and worked for 5 different teams all over the world. He wouldn't stay long by the teams tough, the longest period was a year. Then he resigned and went over to a new team. There were several notes of his commanders. Most included comments about his paranoia, but they were also prizing him as the best soldier they had ever met.

Skipper made it to the position of commander himself. He was appointed to a team known as 'hopeless'. It was their team. This was almost the last part of Skippers file. But there was the information Kowalski was looking for: Medical notes. Only 2 of them. One was a note about his migraine and the other one was a note about two broken wings. Then just a red stamp: 'RESIGNED'

Although Kowalski didn't find anything useful in the file, he was struck by the sad history of his former leader. Now he understood Skippers paranoia, he understood his anger issues, he understood everything. He felt sick thinking about how he had yelled at him. He closed his eyes and leaned back. He had to find out what was wrong with Skipper. He had to. He picked Skippers tape recorder and went back to two days before Skippers 'shopping' trip. He pressed on the play button.

"Skippers log, today we had a hard training and Kowalski probably was too busy with his inventions to join us, until the moment were I got so angry that I almost had slapped him into training. The physical conditions was surprisingly high. My own condition on the other hand is getting lower. My limbs aren't responding as good as they used to do, and my migraine doesn't leave me for a single moment.

Skipper log, It was the first time ever I thought about resigning, The news I just had is devastating. I hope the team didn't notice anything , I don't want them to get worried. Maybe Kowalski is a little suspicious. But I really don't know how much longer I can be their commanding officer.

Skippers log, I have resigned my job as commanding officer and quit the team. The team thought I was too old to be their commanding officer. That I have reached my physical limits. They don't know how true that is. It is hurting me, but I leave this unit tomorrow morning. I have made all the necessary calls. Everybody at the head quarters thinks I am worn out because of my past. They were a bit shocked, I was expected to die in a fight."

Then Kowalski heard the latest message of Skipper starting and because he already knew what that one contained, so he stopped the recorder. He had his answer. Skipper didn't leave of age. He wasn't too old. He should have known it, he read Skippers file. Skipper was one of the youngest commanding officers ever known to penguins. He left because of an illness. He wasn't down with 'just' a cold. It was much more serious. But Kowalski couldn't place his flipper on the illness which was torturing Skipper. He knew just a pair of the symptoms: Skipper was feeling exhausted, his condition was getting worse and he had more and more headache. That could lead to almost every kind of illness. He tried to recall some memories of strange behavior, but his brains wouldn't cooperate. Skipper was a hard one. He wouldn't show any signs of weakness. But there it was. Skipper tried to hit him once and missed. That was weird, but nothing what could help him indicate Skippers illness. Maybe he was too worried about Skipper and was it nothing. He tried to convince himself, but failed miserably. He stood up and waddled towards the team to tell them that the training would start in less than eight minutes.

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_This was chapter 5 already, it goes so fast. I am a bit stuck with chapter 6._

_I will post it as soon as possible!_

_Probably in 24 hours, maybe a little later.  
_

_Hopefully you are enjoying this story!_


	6. Chapter 6: First Mission

_Hello!_

_So, I have decided to split this and the next chapter._

_This chapter was definitely not my favorite one to write, but hopefully you will enjoy it!_

_Thanks for reviewing!_

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**Chapter 6: First Mission**

Maybe he was too worried about Skipper and was it really nothing. He tried to convince himself, but failed miserably. He stood up and waddled towards the team to tell them that the training would start in less than eight minutes.

**Three weeks later.**

It was time for the teams first mission since Skipper had left. They had to stop some kind of weapon Blowhole placed in the city. It was able to destroy the whole city in one blast. Kowalski was sure his team would accomplish the mission without much getting into trouble. After Kowalski much too long and sleepy instructions they went to the place of this weapon. It was in an old and empty office building.

They didn't notice the figure following them.

The weapon was easily destroyed. It almost was like Blowhole didn't even try to prevent them from destroying the it. Maybe it was because they were so well-trained thought Kowalski. He gave the team a well deserved compliment and turned around to waddle towards the exit. He stopped in his tracks. There was Blowhole himself, standing in front of him.

The dolphin laughed maniacal. "Hello peng –U-ings! Here we meet again! How are you doing Kowalski? Can you handle all the pressure?" Kowalski froze when he realized that Blowhole knew about Skippers retirement. How did he know?

He could kick himself, it wasn't the time for thinking! "I am doing fine, thank you." The smile that covered his face a minute ago had made place for a worried expression. "That's very nice then-" Blowhole was starting to make a whole conversation out of this, but was cut off by Kowalski. "Shall we skip the chit-chat? And move on to the real conversation?" He clenched his flippers to fists. He ordered his team to take turns on Blowhole. First himself, then Rico and as the last one, Kowalski was hoping that it wasn't necessary, Private.

Blowhole pulled out some sort of weapon and Rico reacted immediately with coughing up a flame thrower for Kowalski, a long knife for Private and for himself some TNT. Blowhole started his attack. The dolphin had fired at Kowalski whit some kind of a laser beam. Kowalski managed to dodge it. He aimed the flame thrower at Blowhole, but was too slow, while the dolphin was shooting at the penguins in a devastating high-speed. Rico threw the explosives to the dolphin, but the dolphin just backed away laughing at them. "You can see that Skipper isn't with you. You don't stand a chance!" The dolphin laughed diabolical. Blowhole shot Private's knife out of his hands and Private backed away in shock. Suddenly a cry of pain filled the air. Kowalski had managed to hit the dolphin, but had dropped his weapon and was fighting him with bare flippers. They rolled over the ground, but Blowhole had the upper flipper. The evil dolphin pushed Kowalski to the ground and knocked him unconscious.

Blowhole turned towards an angry yelling Rico and an afraid Private. "Which one of you is the next one?" Rico signed to bring it on. He was trying to protect Private before, but had to leave the young one now on his own. He regurgitated a pair of bombs, better known as 'KABOOMS' and threw it towards Blowhole. He screamed angrily when he missed, and ran towards Blowhole. He decided in just a split second to fight the dolphin in the same way as his leader would have done. He was thinking about Skipper, he would just have to wing it, Just like his old friend always did. He soon regretted this decision when the evil mammal hit him against the head and he was unable to battle.

He realized that Skipper had some awesome skills, but then everything faded to black.

The dolphin turned to face Private, who was shivering with anxiety in a corner. Skipper was the only one who was able to get this dolphin down. No one else could, he couldn't that was certain. His former leader was the only able to protect him, but Skipper was gone. Private was alone with the unconscious bodies of his friends and a diabolical dolphin. What should he do? Why is nobody protecting him?

He looked at his challenger and swallowed his fear. There is no time for being a baby now, Private! He said to himself. Blowhole felt Privates fears and was about to crush him. The youngest one ran towards his target. He felt his body falling to the ground after a punch from Blowhole. He raised his head to look into the face of his enemy. He saw him attacking at an incredible high-speed. He closed his eyes as he felt the pain racing through his body. He hoped that it would end soon. Maybe the dolphin would kill him. For the first time he wasn't afraid for death. He was all alone now, nobody could save him. He just wanted to stop everything. He wanted to be with Skipper again, in their safe HQ. He pleaded silently."Please Skipper, come back and save us. We can't do it without you. We need you!"

Suddenly the beating stopped and he heard an angry yell coming from the evil dolphin. He tried to see what caused this sudden mercy of his attacker, but then he slid into blackness.

* * *

_So, how did you like it?_

_Next chapter can take what longer, I have a busy day._

_I think it's on in 24 hours._


	7. Chapter 7: Sleep

_I had some time left, so I decided to spent it on chapter 7._

_Have fun!_

* * *

**Chapter 7: Sleep**

Suddenly the beating stopped and Private heard an angry yell coming from the evil dolphin. He tried to see what caused this sudden mercy of his attacker, but then he slid into blackness.

Kowalski felt his numb, beaten body lying in a soft and warm bed. He realized suddenly that they must have lost the battle from Blowhole, so he assumed he was in his secret base. He opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. It was much friendlier decorated than he had expected. He saw Private laying on a small couch and he noticed Rico on the floor. He raised his head a little and saw a bookcase against the opposite wall. There were a view pictures placed before the books. The penguins on the pictures seemed familiar. He knew them. Manfredi, Johnson and Skipper were smiling towards him. The glass was broken, like someone threw it on the ground. The other pictures were too far away, so Kowalski couldn't see them.

It was a kind of weird, why would Blowhole have a picture of Skipper and his first team. He looked at the picture again. Skipper seemed so happy. He was so young, but he had known already so much misery…

He heard a door opening and decided to act like he was asleep. It seemed to be a penguin which entered the room, waddling towards Privates limb body. Kowalski couldn't see the face of the penguin. Maybe it was Rotgut. He couldn't recognize the shape of the body. The penguin moved slowly, looked very skinny and didn't looked like a trained one. Kowalski was a bit anxious about their situation. There was one way out, but he didn't know if it was save. He looked again at the penguin. His feathers were dull and seemed a bit ruffled. He was done with examining Private and went over to Rico's body. Kowalski was unable to see his face. He became sleepy and couldn't hold his eyes open. He drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Private yawned and felt someone touching his body. He was petrified from fear. Someone was examining him. He felt that the stranger was touching his whole body in search for broken bones or inner bleedings. He heard a rough breathing, but he didn't dare to open his eyes. He felt a sheet gently getting placed over his body and he tried to go back to sleep.

Rico woke from a gently stroke through his feathers and saw a penguin waddling away from him. He felt an immense pain in his body but he knew that his bones and organs were still intact. His eyes searched the room for his friends. It was a small room, apparently underground, with no windows. It looked like there lived one penguin. He saw Kowalski lying in a small bed, Private on a couch and he was placed on the ground. Rico took a better look at the other team members, they were hurt, but it seemed not real bad. Rico tried to get up, but was too weak. He let himself fall back to the ground. He closed his eyes and tried again. Failed again. There was no use, his body needed more rest. So he decided to give in and returned to sleep.

Softly they heard the sound of a violin playing in a nearby room. The music was soft, comforting, even a bit happy. Only the ones who listened real good could hear the despair, the depression and the tears which were beneath the surface.

* * *

_Hope you liked it!_


	8. Chapter 8: Nothing To Worry About

_Hello everybody!_

_Thanks for the reviews again!_

_Here is chapter 8._

_It was a bit hard to write this one, but not as hard as the one which is coming._

* * *

**Chapter 8: Nothing To Worry About**

Softly they heard the sound of a violin playing in a nearby room. The music was soft, comforting, even a bit happy. Only the ones who listened real good could hear the despair, the depression and the tears which were beneath the surface.

Skipper was having a quiet afternoon stroll when he saw his former team moving silently through the city. He decided to follow them, to look if they could handle it with Kowalski as their new leader. He had trouble keeping up the pace and he lost them twice. The team went into an old office building and after a view seconds Blowhole got in the building too. Skipper felt his heart dropping. This was most likely the team's firsts mission and they had to deal with Blowhole already? This could be too much for the team. He had to make sure that they were alright

He went into the building and saw the whole fight from a perfect hiding place. The weapon was already destroyed, but now the team had to face Blowhole. If they were working together, like a team, just as he had learned them to do, there would be a slight chance of defeating Blowhole. He knew that the team probably would fail. The team was not ready for such skilled opponent. He heard Kowalski making a stupid mistake. He growled through his teeth. Skipper now knew that his former team would lose. How could they defeat Blowhole without working together?

He saw Blowhole taking the penguins one by one down. Leaving them unconscious on the floor. Skipper knew he should help them, before Blowhole could do whatever evil he had planned. He saw the dolphin attacking an almost unconscious Private and threw himself into battle.

The dolphin backed away when he saw the look in Skippers eyes. It was like looking in the eyes of a dead man. They were cold, cruel, pitch black. Not the ones he remembered when he tried to destroy him and his team all these times before. He took a better look at Skipper. His body was weakened and he knew he shouldn't have troubles bringing his archenemy down.

He was a bit shocked when he felt the force of Skippers kick to his stomach. He sure wasn't fighting like he was weaker. It was a bit weird that the penguin hadn't said anything yet, but now was no time for speaking matters.

Skipper didn't know how he had done it exactly, but he had defeated Blowhole mostly with strategy, which came as a surprise for the dolphin. Skipper was known for his 'reckless action' moves and would wing it whenever he had to fight. Skipper could recall the tactics he had learned in the training courses quite well and he took Blowhole down.

After their fight Skipper carried his motionless friends to his HQ. It took most of his strength, but he had to take care of them. He was relieved that his friends weren't badly injured. With a couple of days of rest they should be feeling fine.

He decided to play his violin for the first time in years, decades even. He loved to play again, it was surprisingly easy for him, even after this long time. The depressed thoughts in his mind flowing away with every stroke of his fiddlestick on the strings.

After eight hours his friends were finally awake. Now he had to face his former team members and he wasn't looking forward to it. He missed them, but he didn't want them to see him in this state. He didn't want them to worry about him. He knew he couldn't avoid it. The signs were too clear, even the dumbest penguin on earth could see his pain, his weakened body. He glanced into a mirror. He looked like the walking death, as if he could drop down death in any second.

Kowalski, Private and Rico were awake and talking about their failed mission. "Blowhole has escaped for sure." Said Private. Kowalski knew that the little soldier was right. They didn't have the faintest idea who saved them though, they all had their own ideas and were discussing about the matter when they heard the door open.

Their heads turned towards the door when it was pushed open. Private backed away, Rico covered his eyes and Kowalski wished that they were captured at Blowholes base instead of being here. It may be a nightmare, it may be not true. He closed his eyes and hoped that he would wake up from this nightmare soon. When he opened his eyes he still was in the same place, he could not move. He just stared.

There in the doorway stood their friend and former leader. He was looking at them with no expression, his blank eyes staring at each one of them. Kowalski only recognized Skipper because of his flathead, height and his face. All the others off his physical resemblance was gone. Most of his muscles were gone, he had lost a lot of weight and looked very pale. The smile now covering the penguins face was unreal. It didn't look like Skipper was really happy to see his friends again. It seemed like he didn't even had the power to smile anymore.

Kowalski shivered a little. He hadn't known that the situation of their friend was so serious. Private was the first one able to speak. "Skipper, is that you? What happened to you? Are you alright? And where are we?" Skipper looked at him. He just looked. He opened his mouth as if he tried to say something, but then turned away from Private.

He stepped into the room and looked at his friends. He knew that he wasn't looking like a newborn, but the reaction of his friends were almost burlesque, almost. He tried to give them a smile, but failed miserably. Then Private started to talk. He tried to answer the little penguin, but he just couldn't. He took a moment and turned away from his friends. He had to answer them, so when he finally turned back to Private. He said: "Hello boys." He was surprised by the sound of his voice and the difficulty of speaking. His voice sounded harsh and somewhat off tune. It had cost him a lot of strength to say these words. That was great. With this speed of development, he would be out of this world in 2 days.

"Kowalski, you are a strategist and you fought, Blowhole this way? I am not used to you doing stupid things." Kowalski tried to say something to Skipper, but at first wasn't able to. Then he finally found his tongue. "Skipper, what happened to you?" Skippers expression changed immediately, from his commander face to deep depressed. "Nothing 'happened' to me Kowalski. I am just enjoying a quiet retirement." Kowalski's eyes narrowed. He wouldn't let Skipper fool with him anymore. "How do you explain your current state then?" "Classified." "Did you defeat Blowhole?" "Classified" "Why do you take those pills?" "Classi-" Skipper jumped back. Kowalski got him. "How do you know I take pills?" Skipper answered suspiciously. "Found them in your bunk. And don't you dare trying to talk us into that 'I'm okay' nonsense."

Skipper didn't want to tell his friends, he knew they couldn't help him with his last mission. But it seemed like they weren't about to give up. He sighed and decided to play one last trick. Hoping that it would save him, expecting not. "I just had a cold Kowalski, nothing to worry about." He could see that Kowalski didn't believe him, but Private and Rico seemed convinced. Out of habit he thought: We should do more interrogation training. Before Kowalski could ask any more questions, he went out of the room with a soft "Goodbye."

* * *

_So, how did you like it?_


	9. Chapter 9: Giving In

_I finally decided what Skippers faith is going to be, so I could finish this chapter._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 9: Giving In**

Skipper didn't want to tell his friends, he knew they couldn't help him with his last mission. But it seemed like they weren't about to give up. He sighed and decided to play one last trick. Hoping that it would save him, expecting not. "I just had a cold Kowalski, nothing to worry about." 

Skipper felt almost like his happy self again with his friends around. But after two days they had to go back to their normal life, leaving him all alone again. Returning to their life, a life without him. Nobody had mentioned his state, but he avoided being alone with Kowalski, because he was still eyeing him suspiciously. Skipper knew he hadn't bought the trick, but it was working anyway.

After the team had left his HQ Skipper decided to lay down for a moment and catch some sleep.

He had never felt so much fear in his life. "YOUR FAULT, IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT!" The voices of Manfredi and Johnson echoed through his head. "I'm sorry, it was my fault, but I couldn't save you! I am sorry!" He didn't know where to go anymore. Everything was black when the two angry penguins came at him. "You killed us, now we are going to kill you." Suddenly the figures faded and he saw Private, waddling towards him. He didn't have a face, but he was still able to speak. "You never was as good as Kowalski is. He treats us with more respect than you evaah did." He turned into Rico, throwing some explosions at him. He tried to run, but his feet didn't move. Suddenly Rico spoke. Just as a normal penguin. "You can't run away from us Skipper, you won't survive!" Skipper was consumed by his fear. There was no way of escaping this.

Then Rico turned into Kowalski. "You lied to us, you wasn't alright, but what does it matter? We will never need you again!" Suddenly Skippers feet reacted and he ran away. Being followed by several penguins he ran into the pitch black darkness. There were Manfredi and Johnson again. He got enclosed by all of his former team members. "YOUR FAULT!" It echoed in many voices, all of their faces full of anger, they waddled towards him.

He woke in the middle of the night, trembling and panting. He knew it was just a dream, but the picture of all his angry former team members wouldn't disappear. He tried to forget it. He couldn't. Even if they were just some hallucinations of his sleepy mind, he would never forget them and he believed them. He wasn't worth this life, not how he was living it.

He knew he had to chance. He should begin by starting to tell the truth. He really needed his friends, even though they couldn't help him ease the pain. Maybe he could return to his old HQ and help them with their training or he could do some, he shivered, administrating work. He knew one thing for sure. He had to get out of this, it would kill him. He needed to live again, to do something. He only had to tell them. It wasn't that hard right?

Private had been really happy when they were all by his old leader. Of course, things were different than before. Skipper was slow and he looked a bit ill. But when he helped with their training it was almost normal again. Sometimes he faded away in some sort of daydream. He would mutter to himself and looked really sad. He could be in that state for over hours. Kowalski was acting like he was really worried. Private didn't know why. Skipper had said that he was alright and when Skipper told you it was okay, it really was.

Kowalski let their team train really hard. He had got some tips from Skipper, but he didn't used them. It was his team now, he would train it on his own way. He knew that Skipper needed his help, but he rejected him so many times now. Saying that he was alright when he was obviously not. He was quite angry about it. How could he be so careless with his own life? He had just vanished, leaving him with Private and Rico. He returned to his soldiers, giving them some really interesting facts about isotonic liquids that would help them to with his training.

Rico yawned. This was Kowalski's tenth speech about something called tonic. He thought that it was a fancy word for some kind of new kaboombooms, but he wasn't sure. He looked at his leader and wished that Skipper was here right now. He would have interrupted this speech and saved them from drowning in information.

Private wasn't really paying attention, he wanted to see the new lunacorn episode which was about to air, wait for it, wait for it, NOW. Damn, he missed it. He looked at Kowalski, isotonic liquids, what is that about? He tried to listen for more than two sentence but Kowalski's yibberyabber was too difficult and he began to think about what kind of fish they would have tonight.

A phone rang when Kowalski was trying to get his soldiers attention on the subject. He heard Skippers voice.

"You were right, I am not okay. Please help me."

* * *

_Yeah! Skipper finally gave in._

_I don't think all of you understand what isotonic is all about,_

_it's related to osmosis and sportdrinks :)_

_I had to make Kowalski sound smart XD_

_Hope you enjoyed it!_


	10. Chapter 10: Truth Be Told

_This was definitely hard to write.  
_

_If you don't know the illness please continue reading, it will explain itself mostly in the story.  
_

_I included lyrics to Sovereign Light Café of Keane.  
_

_If you're going to listen to it while reading this chapter, I can highly recommend the acoustic live version.  
_

_It's slightly softer.  
_

_I heard it for the first time today and thought it would go well with this chapter.  
_

* * *

_I'm going back to a time when we owned this town  
Down Powder Mill lane in the battlegrounds  
We were friends and lovers and clueless clowns_

I didn't know I was finding out how I'd be torn from you  
When we talked about things we were going to do  
We were wide-eyed dreamers and wiser too

I'm begging you for some sign  
But you've still got nothing to say  
Don't turn your back on me, don't walk away  
I'm a better man now than I was that day

Well, you got nothing to hide  
You can't change who you really are  
You can get a big house and a faster car  
You can run away, boy, but you won't go far

Let's go down to the bandstand on the pier  
Watch the drunks and the lovers appears  
To take turns as the stars of the Sovereign Light Café

I'm going where the people know my name

Keane – Sovereign Light Café

**Chapter 10: Truth Be Told**

"You were right, I am not okay. Please help me."

Kowalski told Skipper that he would come as soon as possible. He never thought that Skipper would come around. He arrived at Skippers HQ just after 1 hour. He knocked at the door and Skipper opened it for him. It seemed like he had been crying.

"I can't hide it any longer, Kowalski. You were right from the start. I am not okay." Kowalski walked inside and helped Skipper to the couch. Skipper was trying to catch his breath again. "I have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." Kowalski didn't know what to say, he had expected something worse, but this was too heavy, even for him. That's why he didn't slap him that specific day. Every piece of the puzzle was getting together. That's why his condition worsened, his speed decreasing, everything made sense again.

"How long do you know it?" Kowalski looked at Skipper. "I heard my diagnosis at the day we were supposed to have Shirtless Ninja Night." Skipper didn't dare to look at Kowalski. He was ashamed, his body fell apart and he let himself slip away entirely. "You should have at least two more years to go, before you.. You know." Kowalski couldn't say it. Skipper looked at him. "I suppose you have listened to all my logs?" Kowalski nodded. "You know I have had the symptoms for a longer time than?" Kowalski nodded again. "Then you know as clear as I do that the days of a free and mobility life are almost over." He couldn't hold his anxiety back any longer. "I don't want to leave in that kind of way Kowalski! It's not who I am, not what I want to be." Kowalski looked at his friend with disbelieve. Skipper continued. "Please don't turn away now from me Kowalski, I know that I deserve it, but I need you, I need you all." Skipper stayed silent for a long time. "Please help me Kowalski, I am begging you. Help me, I can't do it, I can't." Kowalski turned to his friend. "You won't stay here any longer, I am getting you back to the HQ immediately."

Kowalski hoped that Skippers return at the HQ would help his friend getting himself together, and he was right. The reaction of Private and Rico weren't helping on the other hand. "Skipper, why are you back?" misunderstanding Privates tone Skipper got in another one of his break downs. "What's wrong with Skipper, Kowalski?" Private turned to Kowalski. He signed to Private that he had to wait a minute till Skipper was calmed down. "It's my fault, my fault, I know it, you don't have to tell me!" Skipper yelled anxious. Kowalski set him at the table. "Please Skipper, calm down now. Private isn't mad at you and neither is Rico." The scientist rubbed his friend over his back. "shhh, it will be alright."

When Skipper finally calmed down, Kowalski decided to tell his story for him. "Skipper had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." As expected Private and Rico were looking at him with a face drowning of ignorance. "It's a brain disease which is causing progressive weakness by affecting the muscles. They will weaken, even if you train very hard. Eventually you will get paralyzed. At some point you can't speak anymore, or swallow food." Kowalski tried to explain it as easy as possible, but Rico and Private were looking at him as if they saw burning water. "You can help him Kowalski , right? You have to!" Private reacted. Kowalski didn't know what to say. Although he wanted with all of his powers, there was no known cure for ALS. Eventually everybody would die. Mostly within 5 years after they got the diagnose. They would die because the muscles which were necessary to breathe wouldn't work anymore, that means suffocation, or he would starve, or… It was just too horrible.

"I'm afraid I can't Private, I am afraid nobody can help him."

* * *

_I am so sorry that I had to do this to you guys..._

_I made a slight difference in the symptoms._

_Some more information about ALS:  
_

_ALS is a brain disease mostly striking men in the middle age._

_It will leave you paralyzed, not able to talk or swallow._

_Mostly affecting one part of the body first (arms or legs.)_

_There is a medicine slightly slowing ALS down.  
_

_It extends life in the most cases for three months.  
_


	11. Chapter 11: Broken Strings

_Here is chapter 11._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 11: Broken Strings**

"Skipper had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis." As expected Private and Rico were looking at him with a face drowning of ignorance. "It's a brain disease which is causing progressive weakness by affecting the muscles. They will weaken, even if you train very hard. Eventually you will get paralyzed. At some point you can't speak anymore, or swallow food." ... "You can help him Kowalski , right? You have to!" Private reacted. Kowalski didn't know what to say. Although he wanted with all of his powers, there was no known cure for ALS. Eventually everybody would die. "I'm afraid I can't Private, I am afraid nobody can help him."

After a night of the best sleep that Skipper had in months, he got up to find out that the HQ was deserted. He looked around and sighed. It was good to be back again. He stood up and went to the coffee machine. There lay a note on the table, Skipper picked it up and began reading.

_Dear Skipper,_

_I am away to get some of your stuff and I ordered the team to do some exercises in the park._

_It's better if you try to rest a little and don't worry, everything is alright._

_We are back at 1100 hours._

_Kowalski_

What should he do now? He looked at the clock. 0900 hours. Three hours before the team would return to the HQ. Skipper looked at the little trunk he had taken with him last night. He wondered if he had packed his violin. He opened the trunk. There it was. He took the old instrument and his fiddlestick. He started playing and after five minutes or so he realized what he was playing. It was Autumn, from Vivaldi's Le quattro stagioni (Four seasons). He remembered all the times he played it, when he wasn't playing the lead…

Private and Rico returned very early and came in hearing the sound of a violin. Rico saw his friend playing and decided to listen to his music. Private immediately recognized the music. He had heard it a lot in his past.

Suddenly, when the music went staccato again, Skipper stopped. "What's wrong Skipper? Why did you stop playing?" Asked Private, looking at his leader. "You can't play on broken strings Private, and it just happened that a string broke. " Rico finally noticed that the music had stopped and looked at the two penguins in front of him. "Nice music." Rico said and he waddled over to his doll, or in other words his girlfriend.

Skipper felt a little saddened. It was almost the last thing he had what remembered him of the times with Manfredi and Johnson . He decided to tell Private the story of his violin.

"I got this violin when I was turning 13. It was my first year at the team of Manfredi and Johnson." Private gasped. "You were on a team when you was 13? But I always assumed that you can't be assigned to a team before you are 17? I knew I was an exception, but…" Skipper cut him off."I was too. But that doesn't really matter now. Shall I continue?"

He went back to that time, he was almost 13 again. He saw the happy faces of Manfredi and Johnson. They were as brothers for him. And he saw the face of their commander, he was sitting at the table, just watching the young group of penguins. It was his first birthday on which he had felt really happy. Manfredi handed a wrapped box to him. He took it with excitement. He opened the box and saw a beautiful mahogany colored violin. He picked it up and Manfredi handed to him a fiddlestick.

Skipper knew that Manfredi and Johnson played their instruments from the same age that he was now. Johnson played the cello. Manfredi played the violin, just like he would do it. Manfredi and Johnson tried everything they could to teach him to play his violin. It seemed like he didn't have any feeling for music at all, but he didn't give up.

Maybe my old commanding officer was getting a bit crazy of us. When we weren't training, we were playing or trying to play in my case.

And suddenly, at one day, he was able to play his violin. It was with this very same piece of music. He enjoyed playing it with his friends. Johnson would mostly play the lead, but sometimes, they let Skipper play the lead. He could feel the warmth again. He missed them.

But the frequency of playing together went down. Their missions became more dangerous, their training harder. He enjoyed doing those dangerous missions and exhausting trainings, but he missed playing the violin. At one point they stopped playing entirely.

Then there was the day he turned 22. He had asked his friends to play with him. Just for his birthday. The sound of his all time favorite music was just enchanting. He would never forget that time. He felt one with the music, one with his own friends. Suddenly, at exactly the same moment Manfredi and Johnson stopped playing. Skipper didn't know why, until he turned to face them. The strings of both of their instrument had broken. It was a really weird coincident. They decided to repair their instruments the next day.

Only, the next day never came, not for them. He didn't want to think about it again. He returned to the present.

Private was a bit shocked. Skipper had never told him anything from his past, besides 'classified' and multiple stories about the death of Manfredi and Johnson. He petted his friend on his back. "But Skipper, you can repair the violin, can't you?"

Skipper looked at Private. He had asked the exactly same question at Manfredi and Johnson that time. Only he had a slightly different answer. "Of course I can repair it, the question is if I will."

* * *

_This was a real fun piece to write._

_I played the flute, Le quattro stagioni was one of my favorites to play,_

_I liked autumn and spring the most._

_So, this was just a little story about Skippers past._

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	12. Chapter 12: Don't Stop Believing

_Here is a new chapter!_

_Never expected this story to move this fast...  
_

_The story continues!_

_Enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter 12: Don't Stop Believing**

"But Skipper, you can repair the violin, can't you?"

Skipper looked at Private. He had asked the exactly same question at Manfredi and Johnson that time. Only he had a slightly different answer. "Of course I can repair it, the question is if I will."

Kowalski knew that Skipper needed his rest so he demanded his team to go on a shopping operation. Leaving Skipper alone. He wouldn't join his team, he was going to Skippers old HQ to pick up all his stuff.

Skippers HQ was really tidy, so it didn't took him very long to pack everything. He noticed that Skipper had a not much belongings. He didn't know what he would do with the cello and the violin which were placed in the corner of the room. Both instruments had much endured and all of their strings were broken. He decided to leave them at the building.

He was almost done with packing when he saw two letters laying on the table. He read them. The first one was the letter he had seen on the surveillance tape, some information about ALS and how it was not treatable. The second one was from Blowhole. He read the whole thing.

_Hello peng-u-in!_

_I know you have left your team. Thank you!_

_Without you as their leader it 's going to be an easy job eliminating them._

_I don't have to eliminate you anymore, because you will do it yourself. Yes Skipper, I know your secret. I can help you, but I won't. Unless if you are going to help me!_

_I have a cure, unknown for anybody else, but you can guess, that I want something from you in return. Contact me in you know where, if you know what's best for you._

_Your enemy for all time,_

_Blowhole_

Kowalski couldn't believe it. Skipper could be saved… They only had to help Blowhole. Alright, maybe Skipper couldn't be saved. Blowhole hated Skipper, why would he help to save his life?

Kowalski folded the letter and decided to discuss this matter with Skipper. He arrived at the HQ at precisely 1100 hours, just like he had calculated. He went down and saw his team and Skipper minding their own business. Rico was kissing his girlfriend, Private was watching the Lunacorns and Skipper was reading some kind of book. They didn't even noticed that he had entered the HQ, or at least he thought so. "I could have helped you with my stuff, Kowalski." Said Skipper without stopping reading the book. Kowalski was astounded. "You needed the rest, so I decided to do it for you. But can I speak you in my lab please?"

Kowalski showed Blowhole's letter "Skipper, I found this letter at your table, why didn't you tell me that Blowhole had a cure?" Skipper startled. "I didn't know he had, I never finished reading the letter. I thought it was the normal 'You will die' speech, so I ignored it." He looked at his friend. "Do you think, he really has a cure?" He couldn't help it, but he felt a little flame of hope rising in his chest. Maybe it is not too late, maybe he could be saved.

Kowalski wasn't sure what to think. Maybe it was a trap. "It's not like he's your best pal, but there could be a real cure." He just hoped there was, he hoped it with his whole heart. "We have to make a plan of attack." His friend looked at him and Kowalski saw the despair disappearing out of his eyes.

Skipper felt a whole lot better now that they were going to do something. He wasn't the kind of penguin to just sit and wait. He had learned it the hard way. "Let's do this!"

Kowalski and Skipper planned their mission to every single, maybe unnecessary detail. Skipper seemed really happy to go on a mission again, but Kowalski was worried. Skippers body was so fragile. He didn't know if he could throw even one single punch, without falling death from exhaustion.

The Lunacorns had just ended and Private looked around him. Skipper was gone. He walked to the violin which was still laying on the table. He touched the wooden base. He still hadn't gotten Skippers story out of his head. It was really sad that Manfredi and Johnson had died on his birthday. Suddenly he remembered today's date. He walked over to Rico and his doll. "Rico, do you know when Skippers birthday is?" The crazy penguin watched him and then gave him a calendar. It was quite old. He looked at the date were Rico's flipper at pointed. It was in 4 days. "Kipper don't celebrate." Rico said. Private knew he had to execute his idea as fast as possible.

Their planning seemed flawless. Kowalski decided to give Skipper the superiority over this mission, making him again a commander. Skipper declined first, but after a long talk they decided that it was for the best. After all, he had been a commander for a very long time. Kowalski looked at his comrade. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Skipper nodded. "This mission is a go! "

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_Writing this chapter really made me happy :)_

_I will continue soon._


	13. Chapter 13: Already Counting

_I am really moving today! _

_This is a short one, but I didn't feel like making it longer._

_Hope you guys don't mind._

_I am really enjoying the reviews,_

_Thank you and have fun!  
_

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**Chapter 13: Already Counting**

Their planning seemed flawless. Kowalski decided to give Skipper the superiority over this mission, making him again a commander. Skipper declined first, but after a long talk they decided that it was for the best. After all, he had been a commander for a very long time. Kowalski looked at his comrade. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Skipper nodded. "This mission is a go!"

Skipper woke his team the next day at 0500 hours. He had really missed yelling to them, it felt like everything was back to normal. He looked amused at their expression with his mug in his hand. "Did you think we could take it easy and sleep the night away, soldiers?"

Private woke with a start. He heard Skipper yelling at him. Was it all a nightmare? Was Skipper really ok? He opened his eyes. The answer was before him, Skipper wasn't better. He still looked very ill and weak. But his eyes had this happy shimmering. It seemed like he really enjoyed being their commander once again.

Kowalski was already awake when Skipper was waking up the team. He heard the joy in his breakable hoarse voice. He smiled. His night of sleep was not that good tough, he was thinking about the plan and about all the things that possibly could go wrong.

Rico woke with the sound of Skipper's voice. He had missed it, Skipper was his all time favorite commander. He smiled widely at his leader and jumped out of his bunk.

Skipper had his team ready for the mission at the exact time Kowalski had planned. They took the underground to get to Blowholes base, because Kowalski wanted to spare Skipper as much as possible. He looked at his friends, they all looked happily around, watching the people. As if they didn't know there was danger ahead. He shook his head, he would never understand them and he was happy about it.

Skipper decided to infiltrate Blowholes base through the front door. They were just inside when they saw Blowhole coming towards them. "Hello peng-u-ins! I knew you would come Skipper, eventually. I am prepared." He showed the team a gun. Skipper froze but recovered fast. "I am here for an arrangement, Blowhole." Blowhole smiled at him. "I know that Skipper, if you come with me, we can make an agreement." Skipper signed to his friends that it was alright and followed the dolphin.

"I want you to get someone out of the way for me. She really is breaking my nerves. If you can kill her, I will give you the medicine and let you go. If you don't, I will shoot you right now, making this a lot easier for you. It's a win, win situation, for me!" The diabolical dolphin grinned at the horrified Skipper. "I want your answer within ten seconds." "WAIT, who do I have to kill then?" The dolphin smiled at him. "Did I tell you I was already counting?"

The three penguins froze when they heard the shots echoing through the base. They looked at each other horrified. "Kowalski do you think…" Private asked to the scientist. He looked at him with fear in his eyes. It didn't sound good. "I think we should go NOW!" Private and Rico weren't moving. "We can't leave without Skipper! We have to help him." Private begged. Kowalski sighed. "Alright. We wait till Blowhole or Skipper comes out of that room, But IF we get killed, I am blaming you!"

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_I will continue soon!_


	14. Chapter 14: The Last Battle

_Chapter 14 is already done..._

_Enjoy._

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**Chapter 14: The Last Battle**

The diabolical dolphin grinned at the horrified Skipper. "I want your answer within ten seconds." "WAIT, who do I have to kill than?" The dolphin smiled at him. "Did I tell you I was already counting?"

The three penguins froze when they heard the shots echoing through the base. They looked at each other horrified. "Kowalski do you think…" Private asked to the scientist. "I think we should go NOW!" Private and Rico weren't moving. "We can't leave without Skipper! We have to help him." Private begged. Kowalski sighed. "Alright. We wait till Blowhole or Skipper comes out of that room, But IF we get killed, I am blaming you!"

"You know, some people are able to understand a threat without warning shots." Skipper looked at the roof. "Enough of the chitchatting already! Are you excepting my offer, or do you want to end it now?" The dolphin began to get angry at the penguin. He didn't seem to be intimidated by his gun. He felt his anger rise. "I have more to do than just killing you, can you please make your decision already."

Skipper smiled at the dolphin, his rising anger indicated weakness. "Not if you say to me who I have to kill." He was just so calm, he didn't care if he had to die anymore. If Blowhole would do it now, or he would die of his illness, what is the difference? He felt almost as if he was immortal, nobody could really hurt him, he would only die.

Kowalski was just waiting for something to happen. Private and Rico were sitting beside him. Maybe we should break into the, I suppose they are in an office? Or we should try to search for the medicine? Why didn't give Skipper us any orders to do something?

Private looked at Kowalski, he felt the despair of his friend. He wanted to know what was happening with Skipper just as much as Kowalski did, but he had to trust him. He had never let them really down.

"Alright I tell you. I want you to get Marlene out-of-the-way." It was the dolphins turn to laugh. Knowing that Skipper never would kill somebody for his own good. If he could, he would try to save everything good that was left in this world. Blowhole had chosen a random victim of the zoo animals, it didn't matter who it was. Although the girl seemed perfect.

"Then my answer is no." Skipper looked defiantly at his enemy, before taking his advantage and attacking him. The dolphin wasn't surprised and he reacted quickly. "You really think that you can beat me with that weakened body of you? I can crush you completely in minutes."

Skipper knew that he couldn't win this battle against Blowhole. The last time he was a bit stronger and his friends had tired Blowhole first. The whole mission seemed to go wrong. What could he do? How could he stop Blowhole and save himself at the same time? He knew he couldn't choose both. It was an easy choice, as if he didn't have to make it. It was going to be his final battle. He came at Blowhole again. The dolphin was really stronger than he was. He felt the grip of the sea mammal around his flipper, he felt him getting thrown against the wall. He felt… He felt… He felt.. He felt nothing.

Kowalski completely lost it when he heard something hit the door. "I'm going in! He needs us!" He suddenly had a flamethrower in his hands. He didn't know how he had got hold on it, he looked around. There stood Private and Rico. "Don't you evah think you are going in there all alone. We are a team, we take this dolphin down together!" "Uhhuh!" They ran towards the door, knowing that the time they had was slipping through their flippers.

They never expected that Skippers lifeless body was the first thing they would see. There was no doubt about it that there was no way of saving him. Kowalski felt a sudden anger rising over his mind and taking over his body. He had never felt this way before. He knew that this was the kind of feeling which made you kill a man. He looked at the dolphin, stupidly grinning at him. "Did you really think he would make it Kowalski? You really thought poor paranoid Skipper would survive if he was swimming alone? I thought he would have learned from his past, apparently he hasn't." Kowalski couldn't bear it any longer. Out of pure rage he stormed towards the dolphin.

Private didn't want to be any longer. The sight of his dead leader really was something he could never forget. He shivered. Suddenly Kowalski jumped out to Blowhole. Private hadn't listened to their conversation, he was too busy with looking at the body of his dead friend. But then he broke out of his trance he joined Kowalski.

Blowhole didn't know what to do, the two penguins didn't use any tactics, but were just fighting him bare-flippered. He was trying his best to defend himself, but he couldn't cope. He decided to flee. He had already won this fight, there was no way in staying. His enemy was dead. He would never interfere with his plans ever again! He jumped in an escape unit and waved at the penguins.

Rico threw a TNT stick at the fast-moving escape unit. It was a hit. But he didn't care if Blowhole would make it or not. He turned towards his friends. Kowalski and Private were kneeling besides the lifeless body of their friend. Private was sobbing uncontrollably and Rico placed his flipper on his back.

Kowalski didn't know what he should do. By only looking at Skipper you knew all hope was lost. He couldn't have survived that slam, not with his already weakened body. He tried to hold back his tears. He had to be strong. He had to help his team back with with with… He couldn't bear the pain, he turned away. Walked to the window. He looked out of it, not seeing anything.

Why, O why did this had to happen to Skipper?

Was this his fate?

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_I don't feel like saying anything..._

_Next chapter will come in 24 hours._


	15. Chapter 15: Despair

_here you go,_

_Chapter 15._

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**Chapter 15: Despair**

Kowalski didn't know what he should do. By only looking at Skipper you knew all hope was lost. He couldn't have survived that slam, not with his already weakened body. He tried to hold back his tears. He had to be strong. He had to help his team back with with with… He couldn't bear the pain, he turned away. Walked to the window. He looked out of it, not seeing anything.

Kowalski knew they had to get back to their HQ. Life would go on, even without Skipper. He turned away from the window. Private was still sobbing by Skippers body, Rico comforting him with a flipper on his back. Even Rico couldn't hold his tears back any longer. He waddled to them and kneeled beside the body of his friend.

He knew he needed to trace the cause of death before they moved him, but he couldn't. He didn't want to know how bad the body was harmed. "We should get him back home." His voice was bearable audible. Nobody was reacting. "Rico and I will carry him."

Marlene was cleaning her habitat, but she felt that something was wrong. She peered over to the penguin habitat. Still no sign of Kowalski or his team. She went back into her home. She had seen them arrive with a badly injured Skipper that previous night. She decided to go over and look of everything was okay.

The HQ seemed filled with despair. Kowalski was nowhere to be seen. Rico was just sitting somewhere and Private was crying in his bunk. "Where's Skipper?" Marlene knew she didn't want to hear the answer. The absence of the scientist and the behavior of the two penguins which were in the HQ wasn't a good sign. Private looked at her, but seemed unable to answer. He was holding something made out of wood.

Marlene walked towards him. "Private, what's wrong?" He was sobbing more violently and grabbed the object more tightly. "Please Private, calm down, everything will be okay." The penguin stared at her in disbelieve. "It will never be okay Marlene. Skipper is with Manfredi and Johnson now. How can you say everything is okay?" Marlene felt a stone dropping in her stomach. "What do you mean with: 'Skipper is with Manfredi and Johnson'?" Private turned away from her. She walked to the door of the lab of the scientist. "Kowalski, you in there?" She opened the door.

Kowalski was sitting in the corner of his laboratory. He seemed to be reading, but Marlene noticed that his book was upside down. She looked around the room. On a table laid Skipper. Is it true? Was he really dead? "Kowalski, what happened?" Kowalski didn't move. She turned away towards Skipper. She would have to find it out herself.

She slightly touched his face, feeling his nice body warmth.

Wait!

Body warmth?

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_I know, it was a short one XD_


	16. Chapter 16: Hold On Hope

_This one really was fun writing._

_I hope you enjoy this one!_

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**Chapter 16: Hold On Hope**

She slightly touched his face, feeling his nice body warmth. Wait! Body warmth?

Marlene couldn't believe it. "Kowalski, did you even examining him before taking him back to the HQ?" Kowalski looked at Marlene. "No, I couldn't do it, I know I should have done it, but I I I…" His voice faded away. He bursted into tears.

She felt his weak pulse, still binding him to this life. His breathing was so slow that it was barely noticeable. "Kowalski, do you really want to kill him this way?" She turned to the scientist. He was still not moving. "KOWALSKI CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME NOW!" She yelled at him.

He didn't know what to do. Marlene had come into his lab and was watching over Skippers body, when she asked her question. He was a bit surprised. He knew he should have examined Skipper, but he just couldn't do it. He didn't want to feel the evidence of his dead friend. "KOWALSKI CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME NOW!" Yelled Marlene at him. He looked at her, what did she meant by all of this? He walked to Skippers body. "Please Kowalski, will you examine him now? Or do you want him to die because of your own ignorance?" He grabbed Skippers flipper. It was warm, too warm. A dead body would stay for one hour at a normal temperature. Then it will drop one degree (celsius) per hour. He calculated, Skipper was dead for almost 6 hours now. He felt his pulse, still beating slowly. He saw his friend breathing softly. Could it really be?

He returned to his examining. He felt Skippers whole body. No broken bones. No internal bleedings. The only weird thing was that his right flipper was still clenched in a fist, but maybe that was because his muscles wouldn't relax.

He was relieved. They just had to wait for Skipper to wake up and… The cold hard truth made his heart skip a beat. They still didn't have a cure. It was all for nothing. He felt his body weaken when he looked at his unconscious friend. He still wasn't out of danger. He would lose him again.

Marlene left Kowalski to his examination and went to inform Private and Rico.

"You guys?" They turned to her, deathly looks in their eyes. She shivered. "Skipper isn't death." They just looked at her. Private was the first when to speak to her. "What do you mean, Marlene. Skipper is dead. I saw it with my own two eyes." He didn't look like the young penguin he once was. His eyes were bloodshot, hollow. "Maybe you want to see it for yourself?" She pushed Private towards the door of Kowalski's lab.

He didn't want to see Skippers dead body any more. The pictures of his friend laying on the floor wouldn't disappear. But Marlene pushed him into Kowalski's laboratory. He saw Skipper laying on the table. He started to scream. He was about to lose his mind.

Kowalski turned towards the screaming Private. The boy was really driven to the edge. He waddled towards him and Marlene. SLAP. "PRIVATE! YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN NOW!" Private wouldn't listen to him, he screamed even louder. The young penguin was broken, Kowalski knew that he was going to hurt himself if they didn't help him. He decided to do what was the best for his young friend. He took a syringe and injected it in Private's heavily shaking body. The boy was out immediately. Together with Marlene he dragged him to his bunk to let him rest. "What did you gave him?" Marlene asked to him. "Just some Sodium Thiopental" He laughed a little at the look upon Marlene's face. "It's a sort of sleeping powder."

Rico had waddled towards them. He had noticed that Private had lost his nerves. He had heard Marlene say that Skipper was still alive. Could it really be? He fired his question at Kowalski. "Kipper life?" Kowalski nodded. Rico felt a happy feeling spreading over his body. He didn't care why or how, he just was happy that his friend was back. He ran into Kowalski's lab and saw his friend lying on the table. It still looked like he was dead. "kipper?" He touched softly his friends body. It felt warm. He placed his flipper on Skippers chest, he felt it slowly rising and falling. He smiled. Everything was going to be alright again.

Marlene decided to leave the penguins just after Private had been drugged to sleep. She could really use some sleep herself.

Kowalski had to peddle between Private and Skipper. He had to be sure both were ok and he was slightly worried about the dose of Sodium Thiopental he gave to Private. But he had worried for nothing. Private waked easily and Kowalski was happy that the medicine still made him feel a bit numb, so he would stay calm this time.

He felt numbed by the medicine Kowalski gave him. "Kowalski? What happened? Is Skipper really okay?" Kowalski smiled at Private. "I don't think okay is the right word Private, let's just say he's not dead." Yet. Kowalski thought after his answer to Private. They still didn't have a cure for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. And he doubted if they would ever have one. "You better take a rest Private. Go back to sleep." Kowalski saw Private close his eyes and he got up to check on Skipper.

He found Rico still at the side of Skipper. Kowalski examined Skipper once more. Still no improvement. He should wake up soon, his heart rate had increased and his breathing had become stronger. He decided to sit down next to Rico. He tried to start a conservation with Rico. "You know that this was all my fault, Rico? I should have examined him immediately. I was the second in command. I should have to remember to take the medicine. I didn't saw the use of it anymore. I just had looked at him, he could have died at that spot. And that would have been all my fault." He just felt so stupid, he had almost given the life of his friend away. Marlene was right. He had been trying to kill him…

Private couldn't sleep so he decided to go to Skipper. He heard Kowalski talking. He went into the lab and saw his three friends. He sat down next to Skipper. He looked at his pale face, he noticed the falling and rising of Skippers chest. He sighed, Skipper really was alive.

He just had to hold on hope.

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_How did you like it?_

_I really had fun with searching for the right anesthestic._

_Sometimes I really am kinda nerdy, sorry!_


	17. Chapter 17: Lost In The Darkness

_Here you go, chapter 17!  
_

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 17: Lost In The Darkness**

"Kowalski? What happened? Is Skipper really okay?" Kowalski smiled at Private. "I don't think okay is the right word Private, let's just say he's not dead." Yet. Kowalski thought after his answer to Private. They still didn't have a cure for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. And he doubted if they would ever have one.

Private sat down next to Skipper. He looked at his pale face, he noticed the falling and rising of Skippers chest. He sighed, Skipper really was alive.

He just had to hold on hope.

The thick darkness didn't seem to disappear. He didn't know where he was, or what he was. He just was.

The darkness became even thicker. He felt himself fading away again. He tried to fight against it, but he was just so tired. Maybe the darkness was a good place to stay. Maybe he should find some rest there.

Some voices were talking to each other. He wished that they would be silent. He really was tired and he really wanted to sleep. He heard someone crying. He didn't like it when somebody was sad. He tried to break through the darkness so he could comfort the crying man. It was no use. The darkness was too strong or he was too weak.

He heard someone yelling at somebody else. Something about dying, about killing someone. Wait, killing someone? They weren't planning on killing him right? He tried to open his eyes, but he was too tired. He felt himself fading away once more.

He heard someone talking. It was a monologue, but he had heard some names and knew that the somebody who was talking had company. There was something odd. He knew that voice. He just didn't know who was talking. There was the darkness again, only he felt so much stronger. Maybe he could win this fight now.

Kowalski couldn't stop talking. It was the only thing that softened the feeling of guilt. He looked at Skipper, noticed that his flipper was moving. At once he stopped talking and stood up. He examined his friend again. He really was waking up. "Skipper, can you hear me? Hold on please, I know you can beat this." Skippers heartbeat went faster, his pupils reacted the way they suppose to do and his breathing became more recognizable.

Private didn't know what to do, so he was just looking at Skipper. He noticed that the right flipper of his friend was clenched into a tight fist. He couldn't stop looking at it, as if it was some interesting television show.

Kowalski looked at Skipper waking up. He didn't feel much joy by the thought of Skipper waking. He had to tell him how he was the one thinking about leaving him all alone. How he didn't help him. Or was there more than that? He had a strange feeling in his gut. He didn't have this feeling ever before. Maybe the tuna rolls were out of date? No, he didn't feel ill. It felt like something bad was about to happen. He shook it off, telling himself that there wasn't anything wrong.

Suddenly Skipper's right flipper opened, dropping something. Private jumped. He didn't know why, but he caught the object which was falling from his flipper. He didn't look at it, since he saw that Skipper was opening his eyes.

Kowalski rushed to Skippers side. "How are you feeling Skipper? Are you alright?" Skipper was looking at him in a strange way. The weird feeling in Kowalski's gut grew stronger. "Skipper, is something wrong? Please talk to me!" The penguin didn't talk at all. He just looked as if he saw some aliens. Kowalski knew his gut was right. There was something wrong.

Who are these penguins and where am I? Where is Manfredi? Where is Johnson? What happened? What is going to happen to me? Are these the bad guys? Are we compromised? What about the mission? What went wrong? Are they leaving me here? Somebody please help me!

"Who are you? Where are Manfredi and Johnson? What have you done to them? I don't know what you want, but I tell you, I can take you all down with just one wing!"

Private and Rico were stunned. What was Skipper talking about? Didn't he recognize them anymore? They felt a push against their back. "Please give me a moment with Skipper. I am sure everything is okay." They obeyed Kowalski, although Private asked himself why. It was clearly that Skipper wasn't okay. He looked at the object that he was holding in his flippers.

"Please sit down for a moment and calm down, Skipper." Kowalski was really worried when he saw the suspicious look in Skippers eyes. He didn't know exactly what was wrong with Skipper. It seemed like that a hard knock on his head made him believe that he was on Manfredi and Johnson's team again. He knew that in the most cases the loss of memory could heal, with a lot of time. And that was exactly what they were running out of. "You have had a really bad break Skipper, we even thought that you were gone." Skipper looked at him. "Can you please tell me WHO you are?" Kowalski nodded his head. "I am Kowalski, I am your second in command, your lieutenant. And you are the leader of the team were I am on." Skipper looked at him as if he had heard a good joke. "Please don't try to fool me, mister Kowalski. If that's your real name."

This guy really was too much. Playing like he was a commander. It was a trick, Skipper knew it. This wasn't good, he needed to get out of here. He needed to help his team members. He thought about Manfredi and Johnson, they would be worried if he didn't show up soon. "I really have to go now." He made his way to the door.

Kowalski jumped in front of the door. He had noticed that Skipper was trying to leave. He couldn't believe that this was happening after all they had been through already. He couldn't take all of this much longer. Why was this happening to his life, to his friend?

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I hope that you are still enjoying this story!

Thank you for reviewing!


	18. Chapter 18: Remember The Memories

_Next chapter._

_This one was a bit hard to write._

_I had to rewrite it three times before I got it in chronologic order._

_If you get confused, read chapter 5 again._

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**Chapter 18: Remember The Memories**

Kowalski knew that in the most cases the loss of memory could heal, with a lot of time. And that was exactly what they were running out of. Skipper looked at him. "Can you please tell me WHO you are?" Kowalski nodded his head. "I am Kowalski, I am your second in command, your lieutenant. And you are the leader of the team were I am on." Skipper looked at him as if he had heard a good joke. "Please don't try to fool me, mister Kowalski. If that's your real name." He made his way to the door.

Kowalski jumped in front of the door. He had noticed that Skipper was trying to leave. He couldn't believe that this was happening after all they had been through already. He couldn't take all of this much longer. Why was this happening to his life, to his friend?

"Go out of my way!" Skipper yelled to Kowalski. He was getting annoyed by his enemy.

"You are not going anywhere when you are in such state, Skipper." Kowalski knew this was going to be hard on him. "You lost your memory, but it will be alright. Do you know what date it is tomorrow?" "Of course do I know what date it is tomorrow. It's the date of my 22's birthday. You don't think that I forgot about my birthday do you?" Skipper answered. Good god, he has lost 18 years. In his mind Manfredi and Johnson are still alive. Private, Rico and Kowalski don't even exist for him. Kowalski didn't knew how he could fix this.

The stranger looked at him in a strange way. Maybe he should have paid more attention to what his commander had said about the mission. Wait a moment, wasn't he supposed to be on look out? If he got captured what has happened to the team? He felt his stomach turn.

Kowalski picked up a photo album from the nearby shelf. It was one of Skippers. It was filled with some pictures of his past. "Skipper, please calm down. I am not your enemy, I am your friend. Please let's take a look at these pictures." Kowalski opened the album. Skipper sat next to him. In the album were only two pictures of Skippers past. One of him with Manfredi and Johnson. One later in the reboot course. He showed Skipper the first picture.

"Hey, that is the picture we took just a week ago, we were- Wait! How did you get this picture? It's classified!" Skipper was getting a strange feeling in his gut. Was this stranger right? How did he get this photograph? It looked as if it was an old one, but he remembered taking it, just a week ago. He decided to listen to what this stranger had to tell him.

"This is a picture of you and your team right?" Skipper nodded. Kowalski knew he should break this easy, but couldn't find the right words. He would just say it. "They died 18 years ago. A failed mission, we don't know what happened. You were the only survivor."

Skipper didn't know what to think anymore. He stood up and waddled towards a mirror in the corner of the room. He looked In it. If it really was 18 years later, he should see the aging on his face. The first time he thought was that he was brain switched, it couldn't be him. He wasn't that skinny, that pale. These eyes that looked at him weren't his. He touched the reflection in the mirror. It really was him. What happened? He looked like a zombie. He turned away from the mirror. "Alright, I believe you. Will you please tell me what happened and who you are?"

Kowalski sighed relieved. "I don't really know what happened, Skipper, but maybe if you look at these pictures you will remember it yourself. I have to get back to the team, they are waiting for me." And he waddled towards the door.

After the penguin left this place, it seemed like it was some kind of laboratory, Skipper picked up the picture album and began looking at the pictures. The most of them considered him, the strange large one and two other penguins. But what had happened? Why did he leave Manfredi and Johnson? They were his only true and best friends. The large penguin had told him that they had died. 18 years ago… That was a long time, how could he forget all these years?

He looked at the picture in front of him. It was him, all alone, in the headquarters training facility. He looked at his own face, it was sad, harsh. As if all the joy in the world had faded away from his life. He looked at the date in the bottom of the page. It was almost two years ahead of him. What had happened in these two years? He read the description. Reboot course. Why did he had to join a reboot course? Wait when had he learned how to read? He was sure the commander hadn't taught them that yet. The commander thought that privates shouldn't learn to read before they knew how to fight.

He turned the page, it seemed like there was another time jump. There were these strange penguins and himself. He looked like he had a bad temper, his face was still harsh, there was no trace of joy to find. He looked a kind of old and as if a big responsibility was just placed upon his shoulders. He saw that he had tried to smile for the camera. The description read: First time meeting my new team. He looked at the three last words. My new team. My team? I have promoted? But I don't remember them, how can I have a team when I am not even able to remember their names?

Private and Rico didn't know what to say to each other, so they remained in silence. Private looked at the object in his flipper. It was a bottle which seemed to be filled with silver-colored liquid. Was this Skippers medicine? How did Skipper manage to get this from Blowhole? He decided to wait for Kowalski, so he could tell them how their friend was doing.

Kowalski was exhausted, he really wanted to catch some sleep, but he had to inform Private and Rico first. They were just sitting and waiting, not making a single sound. He coughed to catch their attention. "Skipper is suffering from amnesia, but I am sure he will be alright, if we give him the time." Kowalski tried to smile, but failed miserably. Then he saw the object which was Private holding.

"Private, What's that?"

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_I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


	19. Chapter 19: The Animal I Have Become

_Here another songchapter._

_I included the lyrics to a song of Three Days Grace._

_It's not my favorite music, but I thought that it would go well by the feelings of Skipper._

_(Mostly at the end.)_

_I listened mostly to the cover of the Vitamin String Quartet while writing.  
_

_Please enjoy!_

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I can't escape this hell  
So many times I've tried  
But I'm still caged inside  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself

I can't escape myself  
Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself

So what if you can see the darkest side of me  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal!

Somebody help me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself  
Somebody wake me from this nightmare  
I can't escape this hell

Three Days Grace – The Animal I Have Become

**Chapter 19: The Animal I Have Become**

Skipper turned the page, there were these strange penguins and himself. He looked like he had a bad temper, his face was still harsh, there was no trace of joy to find. He looked a kind of old and as if a big responsibility was just placed upon his shoulders. He saw that he had tried to smile for the camera. The description read: First time meeting my new team. He looked at the three last words. My new team. My team? I have promoted? But I don't remember them, how can I have a team when I am not even able to remember their names?

Private looked at the object in his flipper. It was a bottle which seemed to be filled with silver-colored liquid. Was this Skippers medicine?

"Skipper is suffering from amnesia, but I am sure he will be alright, if we give him the time." Kowalski tried to smile, but failed miserably. Then he saw the object which was Private holding.

Skipper was sitting all alone in the laboratory. He had just realized that his friends never came back. He had lost them once and now he had lost them again. How could he be so blind? He should have seen it coming. He remembered all the happy times they had. The times they played their instruments together, the times they made fun together. All the good times they have been trough together. He had lost his best friends. His only friends.

Kowalski looked at the bottle in Privates flipper. It was filled with a silver-colored liquid. "Private what's that?" "Skipper had it in his flipper, he dropped it when he woke." Kowalski stared at the bottle. Maybe Skipper had completed the mission. He knew that he could always trust Skipper to finish a job. He knew that he had to take a look at the contents before we can be sure that this was the cure. Knowing Blowhole, it could be poisonous. He waddled back into his lab. Hoping that Skippers mind was a bit straightened already.

The door opened. The large guy came in, what was his name again? Skipper didn't remember. "What was your name again?"

Kowalski shivered at the question. He didn't know what he could do about this situation. "My name is Kowalski, sir." He walked towards his science equipment.

"Kowalski, Kowalski, Kowalski." Skipper whispered in his corner. He definitely heard that name before. "What is the name of the other two penguins?" Skipper asked to the penguin who seemed to be experimenting. That was something he loved to do together with Manfredi and Johnson. He felt a stinging sensation in his chest. The pain of loss nearly killed him. "The small one is called Private and the bigger one is Rico." The scientist replied. "Maybe you should go talk to them."

Skipper obeyed. He went towards the door. "Sir, thank you for your help." Kowalski was dumbstruck. Did Skipper just call him 'sir'?

Private and Rico were too tired to talk. So Private turned on the TV and Rico polished one of his bombs. The door to Kowalski's lab opened and Skipper waddled into their HQ. He looked around, a bit disoriented and then saw the two other penguins. He decided to go sit next to the smaller one, Private was his name.

This was really awkward, I feel like just a private, but I really am their commander. How should I act? I shall talk friendly to them first. A friendly word never harmed someone. "Hello, may I sit next to you?" The small penguin looked at him in a strange way. "Skipper you okay?" Why does this penguin, o, right his name was Private, act so strange? He just asked if he could sit next to him. "I am fine thank you" He sat down next to the young penguin.

The penguin didn't seem to be ensured by his answer. "You really hate this show, don't you remember?" Skipper watched the television. It didn't look like it was a bad show, there were some ponies explaining how to count. "This show doesn't seem that bad. We used to watch this kind of shows a lot." He got a weird feeling from the little penguin who was sitting beside him.

Skipper definitely wasn't okay. He never was so polite. He hated the lunacorns, he never trusted them. Private decided to change the channel to Skippers favorite show, the Shirtless Ninjas.

"Do we have to watch this violent show?" Skipper reacted immediately. "It's your favorite show Skipper."Answered Private. Alright, Skipper was now acting plain weird. Private stood up and waddled towards Kowalski's lab. "Kowalski, can I speak you for a moment please?" The scientist ignored him.

Almost there, almost there, almost there, almost - "Kowalski, can I speak you for a moment please?", No way! He almost had the answer and now was Private interrupting him. He decided to just go on and ignore the little one until he was done. He just had to do one more step. "EUREKA!"

Skipper didn't know what to think about himself anymore. He never liked those violent programs. He looked around the room. He saw the other penguin cleaning a bomb. He was shocked. Bombs inside a HQ? That's dangerous. He waddled towards the penguin. "Euh, It was Rico, right? Don't you know that explosives inside can be a real danger? Could you please lay it somewhere save?" He had the fright of his life when he saw the penguin actually swallowing the explosive. "What are you doing?! Please stop it!"

"You were saying?" Kowalski turned towards Private. The young penguin seemed really confused. "I was just watching TV with Skipper, and he acted really weird. He said really weird things, like please and he liked the lunacorns." Kowalski tried to comfort Private. "It's just a temporarily memory loss Private, I am sure he will come around." The little penguin still wasn't reassured by his words. "Does this memory loss affect his character in any way?" Kowalski froze. "What do you mean?" "I mean that Skipper talks like he is a private himself. I mean that he doesn't want to watch his favorite show, he is not himself anymore!" Then they heard Skipper yelling in the HQ.

Skipper watched the crazy penguin with horror. What was happening here? They all acted like he was someone completely different. Someone he didn't know. He thought about his real friends. Why did he had to live in this nightmare? He wanted to be with them again. It felt like he had been dropped in hell. He was all alone, no one here was able to understand him.

The three penguins looked at each other. "I think that I will take over command until Skipper is able to at least recognize us and know who we are." They agreed with Kowalski. "I have the medicine ready, the only problem is that we have to inject it." Kowalski knew that this would be a hard task, but it had to be done. Without the medicine in Skippers body he would still die. Skippers Trypanophobia wouldn't make this easy.

Private waddled towards his friend. "Skipper, can you please come with me to the lab?" Skipper nodded and followed the little penguin.

Why were they so cautious? It seemed like there was something bad about to happen, but he couldn't figure out what this could be. He wished that Manfredi and Johnson were here. They always knew what was going on.

Skipper sat down where the little penguin guided him to. The scientist walked towards them, holding something behind his back. Suddenly he injected a liquid in Skippers body.

Why did they make a big fuss about an injection? He wasn't scared of needles. "So why did I need to get this injection?" The other two penguins looked at him with wide eyes. "Skipper, I just injected you, with a needle! Why aren't you in panic?" What kind of question is this? "I am not in panic because there is nothing to be scared about, Kowalski." He answered.

Was this the real Skipper? It couldn't be. But he was glad that they had injected the cure. They now had at least time to work about this situation. "Private, why don't we go watch some old videotapes?" Private nodded and he turned the television on.

The tapes were horrible to watch. Skipper couldn't believe that the figure on the screen really was him. He was so harsh. He showed no mercy, he trained his soldiers to the very edge of exhaustion. He forced his enemies down laughing. But he never smiled, not a real genuine smile. Please and thank you seemed to have disappeared from his vocabulary, except when he used them with sarcasm. It was nothing like he really was on the inside. There was no sign of the sweet kind and loving penguin he once was. What has happened to him? Why did he act this way? How did he become this animal?

This really was a nightmare, he wished somebody would wake him up. Nothing happened. He didn't know that his dark side was so dark and angry.

He prayed that somebody would help him get away from this hell.

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_I hope you liked it, it was a large one this time :)_


	20. Chapter 20: The Song Of His Heart

_I really enjoyed writing this chapter, but it was really hard._

_For me one of the best chapters of this story._

_Please enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 20: The Song Of His Heart**

The tapes were horrible to watch. Skipper couldn't believe that the figure on the screen really was him. He was so harsh. He showed no mercy, he trained his soldiers to the very edge of exhaustion. He forced his enemies down laughing. But he never smiled, not a real genuine smile. Please and thank you seemed to have disappeared from his vocabulary, except when he used them with sarcasm. It was nothing like he really was on the inside. There was no sign of the sweet kind and loving penguin he once was. What has happened to him? Why did he act this way? How did he become this animal?

They went to sleep late that night, trying to help Skipper get his memory back through watching some old tapes. Skipper seemed horrified from what he had seen. Kowalski had noticed that Skippers personality had changed , he wasn't the cold hard leader anymore. He was kind, loving and a bit naive. How could he have changed so much from just a knock on the head?

Skipper woke with a start. He had a horrible nightmare. He was cold and cruel and had tried to kill every penguin on the earth. He shivered, it was a bit cold in the HQ. He felt different, like he was missing or forgetting something. He looked at his flippers, the numb feeling was gone. He felt that his muscles were reacting faster than they had before. "Kowalski, do you know how it comes that this numb feeling that I had is gone?"

Kowalski didn't know how to react, he was so happy. He already knew that the cure would work, but that his calculations were exactly right this time, was just something that didn't happen that often. "I think the cure we gave you is working sir."

Skipper was relieved when he heard the answer of this large penguin. He had heard yesterday about his illness and he was a bit worried about the cure. The things he heard about the scientist were mostly story's about inventions which exploded, so he didn't know if his cure really was safe.

"Happy birthday Skipper!" A happy looking Private waddled towards him with a present in his arms. "Thank you, I really appreciate it, Private." He opened the package. "Wow." He couldn't say anything more. He just looked at the instrument which was laying in front of him. It was really beautiful, shimmering in his box. He picked the violin up and lifted it to his shoulder, reached for the fiddlestick which was still laying in the box and he started to play.

It wasn't really a melody, but he felt like he was at the place where he belonged. It was almost like he was back at the HQ with Manfredi and Johnson again. He could see his friends playing with him. Johnson with his cello, Manfredi with his violin. It was like they were saying that he needed to go on with his life. He heard Johnsons last words. "Promise me that you never forget who you are inside. That will make you the best penguin there ever will be." With every stroke of his fiddlestick against the strings of the violin the memory of his friends became more blurred. He was playing all alone again.

Suddenly memories began to slip into his mind. He saw himself crying over the death of his only friends, he saw himself participate in a lot of other teams, still without friends. He saw himself with this hopeless team. Tears filled his eyes. He had forgotten about Johnson's last words. But he would never forget it again. He remembered Private, Rico and Kowalski. They all were outcasts. Spewed out by the military. Spewed out by their friends. Spewed out by their parents. Even spewed out by life. They all had a horrible past. He saw himself training the soldiers. Memories kept coming. Tears kept streaming. Every stroke with his fiddlestick on the strings of the violin made him remember everything he has been through. He remembered all the things he had said and done.

He turned around and faced his friends. It was obvious that they didn't know how he felt at this moment. He was happy that he remembered them. He didn't want them to suffer like he had when he lost Manfredi and Johnson. The song ended, the last note faded away.

Kowalski thought that he recognized the song which Skipper was playing, on the other hand it was completely new. There was something happening with his friend, it was even noticeable from a look at his back. The music became more violent, but at the same time it hold the passion, the sadness. It was just beautiful.

Private didn't know how to act when Skipper started to play. The song wasn't really familiar for him, but he still had the idea he had heard it somewhere tough. Skipper turned and faced him with tears in his eyes. But something was different about him, the look in his eyes maybe, or was it the way he played. It seemed like Skipper was looking at something from his past, a long-lost friend, a long-lost memory.

Rico loved the music. He had never heard something more beautiful and passionate in his whole life. Well, maybe that one special big kaboom that had exploded one day in the Sahara. It was a pretty close finish. The music won the race.

"I am so sorry guys." Skipper couldn't speak louder than a whisper. He would never forget the times when he felt so alone. He had hurt his team. Seeing that your friend doesn't even remember you was worse than losing the same person forever. What if the one you loved and cared about was still with you, but saw you as one of their biggest enemy's?

Skipper didn't know the song he had played, the music wasn't familiar for him, but it felt like he had known it his whole life. It was the song of his heart, leaded by his memories, and encouraged by friendship.

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_I hope you enjoyed this chapter._

_The song Skipper played is not an existing one._


	21. Chapter 21: Past Story

_So, here is chapter 21._

_The story is not over, not yet._

_Thank you for reviewing!  
_

_I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter 21: Past Story**

"I am so sorry guys." Skipper couldn't speak louder than a whisper. He would never forget the times when he felt so alone. He had hurt his team. Seeing that your friend doesn't even remember you was worse than losing the same person forever. What if the one you loved and cared about was still with you, but saw you as one of their biggest enemy's?

Skipper didn't know the song he had played, the music wasn't familiar for him, but it felt like he had known it his whole life. It was the song of his heart, leaded by his memories, and encouraged by friendship.

Skipper knew that his friends would never been able to understand this feeling that he had. He could tell them about all the things that made him who he is today. He could tell them about all the friends he had lost. All the people he had trust and betrayed him. He could tell them about the war in his own mind, the pain he endured in his life. But did he want to?

He decided that it was time to come around and tell the others the story of his life. Or at least everything what wasn't classified or too hurtful. He laid the violin on the table."Let me tell you a story guys."

The other penguins just nodded and sat down. They were still impressed and silenced by the music they just heard.

He knew where he should begin, it was as if he was there again.

"I had the two most loving parents a penguin could ever wish for. They were also soldiers, located in Antarctica. They had high ranks, but nobody ever told me what they exactly were. One day, I was four, some dolphins came into our HQ and they killed my parents before my own eyes. I don't remember much of my childhood to this point, but I will never forget their blood covered body's.

The assassins just left me and two days later the head quarters came for me. I couldn't go anywhere, I was trapped looking at the body's of my dead parents for two days. Of course, I was just four, so I didn't understand much of it. At the head quarters was an old commanding officer who adopted me. The only problem is that they never knew my name. My parents never told anyone, and I did not remember it. So, they just called me 'the classified one'. The officer on the other hand used to call me Frank. But he was old and died a year after he had adopted me. The head quarters had found a friend of my parents, a friend where I could stay. He never acted friendly. He called me just 'classified'. I had to life with him till the age of eight. It turned out that this 'friend' was an evil spy."

Kowalski was shocked. Sure he had read Skippers file, but to hear the story with all these details was just horrible. He looked at Rico, who was listening as if he had heard the biggest explosion of his life.

Private always thought that he had a rough life before he joined Skippers team. But it was nothing compared to Skippers.

It was hard to go on with the story, but he had too. For his friends.

"I joined the trainings facility, because they didn't have another home for me. It was very tough, nobody seemed to like me. They bullied me and the speed of the training was too high for me. But I wouldn't quit. I knew that I could do it if I just kept on trying. Since I didn't have any friends, it would keep me busy and help me forget all the things that they've said to me.

I was praised as one of the best. I got awarded and after four years I finished the trainings course. I was twelve and had to be placed in a team. They placed me on a team in America. There were also two new trained penguins, but they had been in another class, so I didn't know them. The commanding officer was really kind. For the first time in my life I felt really at home. They gave me the name Skipper, because I really wanted to be one when I was older.

I got my violin from Manfredi and Johnson, we used to play a lot together, until we grew older. Our training got harder, our missions became more dangerous. We loved it, but the time we had for playing vanished. We didn't play anymore until the day I turned 22. To play again was great, until Manfredi's and Johnson's strings broke at the exact same moment. That day we had our most dangerous mission so far. But I don't really remember what happened, only that I was assigned to be on look out. Manfredi, Johnson and the officer died. I was the only one who survived the mission.

I didn't know what to do without my two only friends that I ever had in my whole life. I lost my mind completely, was a danger to myself and others. They locked me away. They thought that I was to blame for the failed mission. I was placed in court, but the judge said that I was not guilty. It was not enough for head quarters. They kicked me out of the force. It really broke me, I lost everything I had, I couldn't go anywhere. Although the judge had decided that I was not guilty, I could not forgive myself.

I hated myself and my body. I tortured myself. Not enough to really damage myself, but enough to make me suffer real pain. After a while some penguin which I had been with in the trainings course saw me. He knew immediately that there was something wrong with me, but couldn't do anything to help me. Then, it was probably one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made, I tried to really kill myself. I just wouldn't go on. What did I had to life for? What was worth fighting for?

This friend had called the head quarters because he was worried about me and they came to check. They were just on time to save me. I had to lie in the hospital for weeks. I wished they never found me and I had already planned my next suicide attempt. They released me, but I knew they were watching me. So I fled to Denmark."

He sighed. He could not tell anybody about Denmark. It was highly classified.

"I am sorry boys. I can't tell you anything about Denmark, but I returned to America. I changed my mind about killing myself, because many had tried to kill me by then and I didn't want them to have an easy job. The head quarters offered me a place on a different team and I decided to take that chance. I had to do a reboot course, but I didn't mind. Finally I was able to do something I was good at, fighting. I was placed in several teams all over the world. The commanders didn't trust me, but the most thought that I was a great soldier, so the head quarters decided to make me a commander.

Later I discovered that they only made me commander because they needed one for a team which didn't seem to function. No commanding officer would take that team. I could do the 'dirty work'. Luckily this 'dirty work' was this team. I never had any true friends after Manfredi's and Johnson's death… You were the ones teaching me how to laugh again, how to love again, how to live again. You all made my miserable life worth living. Thank you."

They looked at each other, nothing more. They didn't need to say anything, even if they were able to talk. Kowalski couldn't believe that the head quarters had called the team 'hopeless' before Skipper was assigned to them. Private couldn't believe what the leader had been through. And Rico, well, he admired his leader.

Skipper was glad that he had told the team about his past. He knew that nothing would be the same ever again, but he didn't care. He was just happy that he still was with his friends.

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

_It will be most likely that I am unable to update in two or three days._

_Have a nice day :)_


	22. Chapter 22: Bullets

_So, here is chapter 22._**  
**

_Enjoy!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 22: Bullets**

They looked at each other, nothing more. They didn't need to say anything, even if they were able to talk. Kowalski couldn't believe that the head quarters had called the team 'hopeless' before Skipper was assigned to them. Private couldn't believe what the leader had been through. And Rico, well, he admired his leader.

Skipper was glad that he had told the team about his past. He knew that nothing would be the same ever again, but he didn't care. He was just happy that he still was with his friends.

Skipper knew that everything should be fine now, but he still had a feeling of unease in his body. What was wrong? What did his gut tell him? He turned to look at Kowalski. "Kowalski, do you also have-" He was unable to finish this sentence, since the roof of their HQ ripped open and collapsed upon them.

He heard the diabolical laughter before he saw the dolphin coming to them through the debris. He looked around and saw that his friends were unharmed, only shocked. "Blowhole! What do you want this time?!" He shouted at the dolphin, although he already knew the answer. Blowhole wanted only two things. The first things was to get revenge, the second one was revenge on Skipper, most likely by taking his life or torturing him or his friends, which also meant that he was torturing him.

He knew that Blowhole never meant to give him the medicine, but the dolphin was unable to prevent him from taking it. He didn't know if he would be able to defeat the dolphin this time, tough. It was obvious that he had some kind of new weapon. He didn't care what it was, he only knew that he had to beat the dolphin. Forgetting about his weakened body, he threw himself upon Blowhole.

The dolphin knew that this was going to happen. He had hoped for it. He aimed the weapon at the penguin. He pulled the trigger.

Skipper saw the dolphin aiming at him and managed to dodge the ray which was coming from the weapon with slight difficulty. He had been overconfident. His body wasn't reacting the way he had thought it would. The following beam hit Skipper right in the stomach, making him gasp for air. He knew that he could not handle the dolphin on his own and signaled for his friends to help him, but they already were.

Kowalski saw his friend getting hit by the ray. The weapon looked like a flamethrower, but it wasn't. The ray hadn't left any markings upon Skippers body, but Kowalski was sure that it had left some damage. He was furious, he couldn't think straight anymore. He attacked the dolphin, knocking the ray from his flippers.

Skipper immediately reacted by picking up his own flamethrower and aiming it at Blowhole. He had a clear view and he fired. The weapon was in its deadly mode, so he had to hit just one time. He knew that he couldn't miss, but still the dolphin surprised him by showing a normal gun and aiming it at Private.

Blowhole shot three times before the flames engulfed his body. The dolphin knew that it had been a reckless action to come to the penguins HQ, but he had hoped for the upper-flipper. He knew it was over now. The flames forced him down to the ground, but he was already death.

Kowalski couldn't move as he saw the bullets flying towards Privates paralyzed body. He closed his eyes, he didn't want to see what would happen to his little friend. He heard the sound of the bullets piercing through flesh.

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I hope you liked this chapter.


	23. Chapter 23: Experience Comes With Time

_Chapter 23 is here.  
_

_Enjoy!_**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 23: Experience Comes With Time  
**

Blowhole shot three times before the flames engulfed his body. The dolphin knew that it had been a reckless action to come to the penguins HQ, but he had hoped for the upper-flipper. He knew it was over now. The flames forced him down to the ground, but he was already death.

Kowalski couldn't move as he saw the bullets flying towards Privates paralyzed body. He closed his eyes, he didn't want to see what would happen to his little friend. He heard the sound of the bullets piercing through flesh.

Skipper knew that only he could save Private. With big effort he threw three pieces of debris towards where he supposed that the bullets would go. He hit bullet number one, he hit bullet number two, but he missed the third one.

Private was paralyzed with fear when he saw the bullets raging towards him. He knew that nothing could save him. Suddenly something flew in front of him and it waked him out of the trance. He jumped away and the third bullet missed him with only inches.

Skipper ran towards Private. "What were you thinking?! Didn't I train you to avoid things? Or did I tell you to just stand there and kill yourself?" Skipper slapped Privates face. He was so angry, Privates actions were related to suicide. He turned around and waddled away from his habitat. He remembered everything what happened that day. He remembered his last mission with Manfredi and Johnson. The heavy medication had made him forget everything that had happened. But the lock on his mind broke.

"Skipper run! Run now, you can save yourself! RUN!" Manfredi called to his younger companion Skipper. "You can't save us Skipper, you can't!" Skipper couldn't move. He saw the bullets racing towards his body. Then, he saw a black and white flash. "Skipper GO! That's an order." The commander yelled. He looked around. Johnson lay on the ground before him. The bullets went straight into his chest. "Promise me that you never forget who you are inside. That will make you the best penguin there ever will be." Johnson's last words were almost inaudible. Skipper looked at Johnson's face. "Skipper, get out of here now!" Manfredi and the commander yelled together. Skippers feet suddenly responded and he moved out of the building. It exploded seconds later and Skipper lost his conscious.

He returned to the present. It was his fault, if he had listened to his commander, everything would be fine, then he would be with Manfredi and Johnson at this moment, laughing about some stupid jokes. The tears welled up in his eyes. Why did he had to remember? Suddenly something came across his mind, if he hadn't met Private, Rico and Kowalski, what would have happened to them? He now knew everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you may not see that reason, but everything has a great impact on your life. Losing someone now, can mean that you will save someone in the future.

He heard three penguins coming towards him. He turned around. He looked at them.

"Skipper, you're okay?" Kowalski asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I am, I have just some bruises. Nothing to worry about. But Kowalski, do you have an idea where the instruments are that I had left at my old HQ?" Skipper already knew the answer. They were gone. Just like the friends that had played them. But he didn't feel that feeling of guilt anymore. He was back then just as Private was today. Too inexperienced to save himself or anyone else. It wasn't his fault. No one could help it that he was so inexperienced back then.

Experience comes with the time, and if you run out of time, you may run out of experience.

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_You may have noticed it, but the story is indeed getting to a close._

_Hopefully you enjoyed it so far!_


	24. Epilogue: Nothing Will Be The Same Again

**Epilogue: Nothing Will Be The Same Again**

Suddenly something came across his mind, if he hadn't met Private, Rico and Kowalski, what would have happened to them? He now knew everything happens for a reason. Sometimes you may not see that reason, but everything has a great impact on your life. Losing someone now, can mean that you will save someone in the future.

**Months Later…**

Skipper looked proudly at his team. He was glad that he hadn't lost them. It had taken him quite some time to get in a good shape again, but he managed it and he was officially their commander again. Blowhole was defeated, but there were more than enough other enemies to take down. They trained hard, but with a new spirit. They seemed to understand each other better. Everything went smoother, faster.

Skipper knew that the scars of his past would never vanish from his body or his mind. He also knew that he wasn't immortal. Neither were his friends. If he could choose his own death, he would want to do with them.

On one day, his body would finally give in and make him an old penguin. His body would tell him that he would grow to the limits of his powers. It would decide that he needed a rest.

His friends were looking at him in an expecting way. He raised his violin. The first touch of the fiddlestick upon the strings. It was like the melody carried all the joy of the world. They knew that one day life would part them. That was insurmountable.

They only had to make sure the days that they were together the best they would ever know. When they were together they would be unbeatable, until the moment they had to leave this world behind.

End

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_This was my first story I ever wrote._

_I hope you liked it!_

_I would really like to thank Bml1997, MadagascarGirl and K TheEpicPenguin for their constant reviewing and for their support. But I would really like to thank everyone who has reviewed, so thank you! And if you are going to review: Also thank you!__  
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_I don't own the penguins of Madagascar;_

_Sovereign Light Cafe by Keane;_

_The Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace._


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